Eyes Wide Open—All About Owls
Eyes Wide Open—All About Owls
Owls have interested people for centuries with their wise eyes, hoot-filled talk, and sneaky nightly adventures. Join us on a journey into the night sky and the secret world of owls. #OwlFactsForKids 🦉🌙
5 Short Facts About the Wild Owl
- Did you know that a group of owls is called a Parliament?
- Believe it or not, not all owls can hoot.
- Baby owls go by the charming name of "Owlets."
- Owls have a long lifespan—with some living to be a wise 25 years old.
- The eyelids of an Owl are very different—they have three!
Read on to find out more details about the Owl.
Meet the Outstanding Owl! 🦉 ✨
Owls are a type of bird called a raptor. All raptors eat meat, have a hooked beak, strong feet, excellent eyesight, and sharp talons—also known as claws. Examples of other birds called raptors are—eagles, hawks, and falcons. There are about 482 animals that fall into the "raptor" group around the world.
Talons: Claws that are sharp and hooked; not all claws are shaped this way.
What is an Owl Ear Tuft?
An ear tuft is a bunch of feathers on the top of an owl's head near the animal's ear. They actually look like ears, and in some cases, they make the Owl look cat-like. But they have nothing to do with hearing.
The purpose of the ear tufts is a mystery. But scientist have a few thoughts about their uses—helping with communication, silently tracking family members, acting as camouflage for hiding, and scaring off danger.
Not all owls have tufts—In the US, the Eastern and Western Screech Owl, Great Horned Owl, Longed Eared Owl, and Short Eared Owl all have ear tufts.
A Peek Into the Lives of Baby Owls—Owlets
Nesting: Owl parents begin to build a nest for their babies around January and February. They choose to build their nests in many different places. Often they use the nests of other owls, an existing tree hole, cliffs, and man-made structures like ledges and pipes, and sometimes they even choose the ground.
Incubation: Owls come from eggs, just like other types of birds. They lay between 3 to 15 eggs, depending on the kind of owl. When an owl sits on her eggs to hatch them, it is called the incubation period. The mother owl incubates her eggs while the dad gets food.
Brooding: The mother sits on the nest after the owlets are hatched. This stage is called brooding. When born, owlets are covered with soft, downy feathers, and their eyes are tightly shut. These young fluffballs are so large with heavy heads that they sleep face-down as their bodies struggle to support their weight. After a few days, their eyes flutter open. Eventually, the darker feathers grow and the downy fluff falls off. The babies will stay in the nest for about six weeks—leaving the nest even before they can fly.
Branching: Owlets can't usually fly when they leave the nest, they often spend up to a week on the ground or nearby branches before they can fly well. "Branching" is the term for this stage. Branchers sometimes fall to the ground too soon. Don't worry; Mom and Dad still take care of their owlets on the ground. Plus, owlets can climb trees using their beaks and talons.
Fledging:
Fledging follows quickly after branching. This is when the babies learn to fly. The branching and fledging stage is dangerous for the owlet. You can help keep owlets safe by keeping cats and dogs indoors during this time. Baby owls are surprisingly antisocial. If you chance upon a grounded owlet, leaving them alone is the best course of action. If the owlet seems injured, you can help by contacting a wildlife sanctuary for professional assistance.
The Nighttime Sky: Owls of the United States 🌕🦉
🌙 Owls are nocturnal birds, meaning they like to be up at night. Because they are up when we sleep, many people don't know there are so many types and they are found worldwide. There are more than 200 kinds of owls worldwide, and 19 types are found in the United States 🇺🇸 🦉. These exciting birds come in many shapes and sizes, from the petite Elf Owl, holding the title of the smallest owl, to the largest Great Gray Owl.
Here are the 19 types of Owls found in the United States:
- Barred Owl
Barred Owls are large and chunky, with rounded tails and no "ear tufts." They have rounded heads with a special type of pattern to their coloring called mottled. Mottled means spots of color. The Barred owl is covered in spots of brown and white feathers, making them easy to pick out next to other types of owls.
- Barn Owl
Barn owls have a white, heart-shaped face dark brown eyes, and no ear tufts. They are Considered one of the most common types of owls and one of the few that build their own nests. Their wings are long, and their tails are short and square-shaped.
- Boreal Owl
The boreal owl is a rare small owl that is hard to spot. They are found in northern Minnesota and western parts of the US, such as the Rocky Mountains. Its feathers are brown with white and rust-colored streaks. The head is large with yellow eyes, and the beak is light yellow, and no ear tufts.
- Burrowing Owl
Burrowing Owls are small, sandy-colored owls with bright yellow eyes and no ear tufts. Unlike most owls, they like underground living. They live underground in a hole or tunnel they have dug or taken over from a prairie dog, ground squirrel, or tortoise.
- Eastern Screech-Owl
The Eastern Screech-Owl is robin-sized and is mostly out at night. They live in city parks and neighborhoods. Despite the name, these owls don't screech; they sing through the night with whinnies and soft trills.
- Flammulated Owl
Flammulated owls are tiny, about the same size as a juice box. They are reddish and spend most of their time looking for insects to eat. Even though they are small, they can have a really loud hoot. They are found in forests with large trees and migrate to areas like Mexico in winter.
- Great Gray Owl
Great Gray owls are tall and have wide wings and a long tail. They have large heads with a big face. Even though they are large birds, they only weigh about 2.5 pounds. These owls live in fir and evergreen forests with small openings.
- Great Horned Owl
The great horned owl is the most common in the United States. Their hoot, yellow eyes, and earlike tufts are unmistakable —most commonly seen and heard in movies, shows, and books. They are powerful and can take down birds and animals larger than themselves.
- Long-Eared Owl
The long-eared owl looks similar to the great horned owl but much smaller. They have long, rounded wings and a long tail. Their wings are so long that they cross each other in the back when the bird is perched. Long-eared owls have long blackish tufts that look like ears but are just feathers.
- Northern Hawk-Owl
The Northern Hawk Owl behaves like a hawk but looks more owl-like. They have long tails and perch atop trees in the daytime like a hawk. Their calls are less hoot-like and more like a repeated kip sound.
- Northern Pygmy-Owl
The Northern Pygmy owl is little and often out during the day. They fly fast and low from tree to tree, then sweep up to sit up high. They are very good hunters even though they are small.
- Saw-whet Owl
The Northern Saw-whet owl gets its name from the sound it makes. They are known for their repeated tooting whistle that sounds like a saw.
- Short-Eared Owl
The short-eared owl is seen most often in the daytime. They have ear tufts but are so small they are hard to see. Their most noticeable feature is their black-rimmed yellow eyes and a light-colored face. One cool fact about this owl is that they are Hawai'i's only native owl.
- Snowy Owl
Snowy Owls are one of the largest owls. They are white with some brown spots, with the females having more brown markings than the males. Snowy owls are out during the day and like to be near the ground and fly low.
- Spotted Owl
The spotted owl looks like the barred owl but smaller. They live in older forests and most of their places to live have been destroyed. Plus, they have to fight with the Barred Owl for the same area to live. The Barred Owls are larger and more aggressive and they push out the spotted owls.
- Western Screech-Owl
The western screech-owl is small with a squareish-shaped head and short tail. They are great at hiding and blending into the trees because of their coloring. They hunt for food at night, and during the day, they sit in their nest hole or look out from the entrance. They live well around people in parks, forested backyards, and nesting boxes.
How to make an Owl friendly Backyard
Making an owl-friendly backyard can be a rewarding and helpful project. Think about installing nesting boxes to provide shelter for Barn Owls and Screech Owls. These boxes not only benefit the owls by giving a safe space to raise their babies, but owls can help keep the mice and vole populations down near your house.
To attract owls to your yard, leave dead trees standing, as they can serve as shelter and nesting sites. Since not all owls are hole nesters, offering a variety of nesting places helps your chances of attracting these fascinating birds. Also, setting out bird baths interests owls, offering them a water source for drinking and bathing.
For those seeking a more natural hunting ground for owls, consider mowing the lawn less frequently. Leaving stretches of grass longer can attract small rodents, providing owls with an enticing hunting terrain. Remember that owl attractions may not be suitable for everyone, so evaluate your comfort level and interest before making these adjustments to your backyard.
Owl Conservation Facts:
Owls face a serious conservation concern, with 227 types in total. Disturbingly, 24 are classified as Vulnerable, 13 as Endangered, and three as Critically Endangered. Their survival is jeopardized by threats such as habitat loss, forest splitting, and invasive animals. Specific types, like the Northern Spotted Owl, are already under threat. While Burrowing Owls and Ferruginous Pygmy Owls currently enjoy a "least concern" status, others like the Spotted Owls are "near threatened," and the majestic Snowy Owls are labeled as "vulnerable." The urgency of these challenges calls for concerted conservation efforts to protect these remarkable birds.
Additional Resources:
10 things you can do to help owls in you backyard
The Hungry Owl Project - "Our mission is to reduce the need for pesticides and rodenticides by encouraging natural predators through conservation of habitat, nesting boxes and education."
Owl Research Institute - Owl Conservation Projects
Owl Themed Activities (Ages 3+)
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