Owls are striking birds of prey that are very difficult to see. Mostly nocturnal, owls inhabit woodland, heath, marsh and forest, hunting for voles, mice, insects and small birds. They may also come into your garden — but you will have to keep a close watch if you want to spot one. Early mornings and dusk are the best time to see them.
Owls are shy birds. Their brown, buff and grey feathers mean that they are extremely well camouflaged against a backdrop of leaf and bark. They make their nests in holes in trees and their hooting call is often the only sign of their presence in a particular area.
In the UK, Tawny Owls, also known as Brown Owls, are widespread - though surprisingly seldom seen. You have a greater chance of seeing a Barn Owl, particularly at dusk. This pale, buff coloured owl is frequently to be seen swooping over fields of long grass at dusk, hunting for mice.
All owls are brown and buff-coloured, with hints of grey, except for the Snowy Owl, which is white with speckles of black. The most prominent and noticeable feature of an owl is its eyes. Round, staring and bright yellow-orange, most owls have wide rings around their eyes, called a facial disc, making them seem huge.
Owl Facts
- According to Avian Web, there are 222 species of owls in the world.
- Owls belong to the order Strigiformes. Barn Owls belong to the class Tytonidae.
- The collective noun for a group of owls is a parliament.
- Owls can hunt in almost total darkness, using only sound. Their huge facial disc, funnels the sounds made by their prey, making it easy for the sharp-eyed owl to hunt.
- Their closest relative is the Nightjar.
Owls in Books
Owls have featured frequently in a variety of fantasy literature. In Alan Garner's The Owl Service, images of owls appear on the plates of a dinner service. When Alison traces the owl shapes onto paper, they disappear. She cuts out paper owls from the paper and later in the book they come to life in a terrifying scene.
In the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, owl post is used to deliver mail, parcels and newspapers. On more than one occasion, owls carry heavy objects for long distances and they can be used to send messages to people even if you don't know where they are. A number of owls feature in the series of seven books. Hedwig is a Snowy Owl, given to Harry for his eleventh birthday by Hagrid. She meets an unfortunate end in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Errol is the Weasley's owl, and is old and weak and not much good for anything. Ron Weasley is given a tiny owl by Sirius Black which he names Pigwigeon. Owls are portrayed as brave, loyal birds who can be affectionate when they choose - though easily offended.
Owls in Mythology
Owls are often associated with wisdom. The high IQ society Mensa uses an owl as their unofficial mascot. In Ancient Greece, owls were associated with the goddess Athena — also the goddess of wisdom. Athena was a bird goddess, who often took the shape of an owl. It is this Greek myth, that has made the owl associated with institutions of learning, and where we get the expression "wise owl."
In Roman culture, owls were associated with funerals and death. Superstitions have developed, in which owls have become seen as bad omens and an owl's hoot is thought to be a premonition of death.
Related Article
Did You Know? Ten Interesting Facts About Birds
Sources
John Gooders, Pocket Guide to Birds. (London: Larousse, 1995).
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