Hobbies And Interests
Physical Characteristics
Owls have large eyes, round heads, long talons and hooked bills. Their plumage is relatively fluffy and soft, rendering their flight soundless. Owls have a size range of 5 to 28 inches in length, weighing anywhere from 2 ounces to 9 pounds. Females are generally larger than males. An owls' eyes cannot turn in their sockets; however, it can turn its head up to 270 degrees to the right or left.
Vision and Hearing
Owls have excellent night vision -- in part due to their large eyes -- which gives them the ability to utilize all traces of light. Each eye can see an object from different angles, giving owls three-dimensional visual acuity, which is similar to humans.
An owl's ears are constructed in a way that gives them superb hearing. Their ear opening is a large hole encircled by facial disks and tapering feathers, which help funnel sound into their ears. Each ear hears sound from different angles, because one ear opening is situated higher on the owl's skull than the other. An owl can hear a rat step on a twig at a distance of 75 feet away.
Habitat and Diet
Owls are carnivorous birds of prey that regurgitate any matter that they're unable to digest. They are considered to be "raptors," which is a predatory group of birds that are distinguished by catching and tearing their prey with their talons and beaks. Owls consume a wide array of animals including frogs, rodents, small birds, fish, rabbits and insects.
Owls are nocturnal; meaning, most of their activity occurs at night. However, they can be found in the day, sleeping in secluded or hidden places -- such as caves and hollow trees.
Life Span
Owls commonly live 20 years or more. They produce one to 14 eggs, with an average clutch range of two to six eggs. Depending on the species, eggs hatch in 15 to 35 days.
Taxonomy
The owl order Strigiformes is divided into two families. The family Tytonidae consists of barn owls, whereas members of the family Strigidae are considered to be typical owls. Barn owls have heart-shaped faces, and closely parallel, tooth-like (pectinate) claws. Typical owls are generally grey, brown, or black, and do have pectinate claws. There are approximately 16 species of barn owls and 189 species of typical owls.