In case anyone else needs this:

I'm not a wrestling fan but this is the perfect response.

That's kinda how these encounters usually go!

I haven't seen anyone suggest anything is wrong with either owl. The leading hypothesis is both of these are owls in their first year of life and are still more curious about the world outside the nest and not yet the hardened kill-or-be-killed owls they will become.

Today's post had the comments locked, so no new info, but checking the prior post, there are some new helpful comments and stories.

Misty Oneil Epstein, who we feature here often, and who also had an interspecies encounter captured this week between a fox and a GHO where both didn't mind each others' company too much. She had a really long comment defending Eric, saying she's a long-time fan of his work and has seen enough unbelievable moments herself, like the fox/owl, to know this does happen, and she was also of the belief that these are 2 young owls who haven't fully grasped they are supposed to be mortal enemies yet.

Another person said they had a GHO family in their barn one year, and a Barn Owl came to visit for 3 nights, before the 4th night was apparently one too many and he became the other type of dinner guest.

I do wish Eric had given us a little more story, but it may not be much more than "I walked into the barn, saw them, was able to get 2 pics, and then one/both bailed." Just as understandable would be he was there watching GHO, Barnie said this looks like a nice barn, came in and saw it was occupied by a larger, more dangerous bird, and GHO said you have to the count of 3 before I get mad, and it took off. If it was a bit early and the owl didn't expel its pellet yet, it couldn't eat anyway. And though the GHO is larger, especially if it is young, it doesn't know its potential yet, and may have defaulted to freezing behavior to see if the Barnie was there to fight or just passing through.

So with what little we have to go with and both owls looking healthy, I'm inclined to believe the mutually young and curious take. I wish I had more to give you guys, but all we've got is guesses.