Exploring the Fascinating World of Owls

Owls are one of the most popular types of birds. One of the most fascinating aspects of owls is their vision. Their eyes are perfectly suited for night vision as they are shaped like tubes, making it easy for them to see when hunting in the dark. Additionally, their ears play a crucial role when they cannot see their prey. Their hearing is superior to that of other birds due to the special feathers around their faces and the shape of their skulls, which help them catch sounds. These feathers are unique to owls and are not found in other birds. You may not have seen them before because they are so small. Moreover, some species’ skull has a distinctive shape; the left ear is lower than the right ear.

If you love owls, you probably know about their remarkable flying abilities. When owls fly, they do not make any noise; they always fly silently. This is possible because their feathers are incredibly soft, resembling velvet. Additionally, their large wings enable them to fly silently without the need for quick flapping.

Let’s discuss their claws and legs. Their legs are notably long when compared to their bodies, and their claws are sharp and lengthy. When they capture prey such as rodents or other birds, escape becomes virtually impossible for the prey. In other words, there is no way for the prey to evade death from the owl’s powerful claws.

If you think that’s the extent of fascinating owl features, you’re mistaken. Owls possess the remarkable ability to turn their necks about 270 degrees, a feat attributed to the number of bones in their necks. They have 14 neck bones, which is double the seven found in humans. While this may seem a bit unusual, it is a necessary adaptation for owls. Returning to the discussion on the shape of their eyes, I previously mentioned that “their eyes are in the shape of a tube.” This means they cannot move their eyes independently. Consequently, owls must turn their heads more than other animals to observe their surroundings and understand what is happening around them.

Their stomachs are indeed incredible. Owls have two parts to their stomachs. The first part functions normally, but the second part operates differently. The second stomach is responsible for squeezing the food the owl has ingested. When the stomach squeezes the food, the owl regurgitates it in the form of a pellet. These pellets contain bones and fur, and you can often find a complete rodent skeleton within them. Turning to their natural enemies, eagles pose the most significant threat. Eagles are stronger and faster than owls, making them capable of killing owls. Additionally, eagles are generally larger than owls, further contributing to their advantage in confrontations.
I think this information is enough for now.

Let’s talk about some specific owl species.

Barn Owl: The Barn Owl is a distinct owl species. Their faces resemble a sliced apple. They have a light brown color on their back and on the top sides of their wings and heads, with the main color being white.
Eurasian Eagle Owl: The Eurasian Eagle Owl is the second-largest owl species in the whole world. They have two feathers that resemble ears on their heads, and they appear a little bit angry with their orange eyes.

Little Owl: These owls are smaller than other owl species, but this is not a disadvantage for them. They have small white spots on their brown feathers, and they look very serious with their white eyebrow feathers.

Snowy Owl: The Snowy Owl is a very interesting species because they can live in very cold places, especially around the North Pole. Their main colour is white, but they are not entirely white; they usually have many little black spots on them.

That concludes our discussion for now.
I trust you found this information enjoyable. Until next time!