Owls range from 12cm (5 ins) to 84cm (33 ins) tall.
Owls never need to drink water.
Most Owls lay 2 - 7 eggs.
Some species pair for life.
Owls have exceptionally acute hearing.
Owls are easily recognized; almost everyone in the world knows
about Owls. They are considered creatures of mystery or doom
or good luck, depending on where you are. Since Owls are night
birds, they are difficult to see although their characteristic
songs and calls can often be easily heard.
There are over 300 species of owl in the world,
including sub-species. Mainly nocturnal, these predators have
several adaptations for night hunting. Large round head and
forward facing eyes, exceptionally acute hearing and soft
feathers that muffle sound for silent flight. They also have
powerful sharp talons and beaks for catching their prey which
makes them fearsome hunters.
APPEARANCE
Males and females often have similar markings, though the
female can be up to 25% larger than the male. Owls range in
size from 12cm (5 inches) to 84cm (33 inches) tall.
FEEDING
Owls feed on a variety of living prey including small mammals,
birds, insects, reptiles, amphibians and fish depending on
the owl species.
Owls generally swallow their food whole, later regurgitating
the indigestible parts like fur, feathers and bones in the
form of a compact pellet. Owls never need to drink water.
REPRODUCTION
Owls lay their eggs in nests in trees, rock crevices in the
ground and even in buildings. Nesting and chick rearing is
timed to coincide with the maximum abundance of prey. Most
Owls lay 2 - 7 eggs, which usually hatch at 2 day intervals,
giving large age differences between chicks in a brood. Often
the younger chicks called owlets, will starve if food is scarce
due to competition with older chicks. Owls are generally monogamous,
neither the male or the female having involvement with another
bird during nesting. Many owls stay with the same mate throughout
the year, and some species even pair for life.
