Owls are fascinating birds, that can be both mysterious, adorable or scary according to who you inquire. With more than 200 species that live across every continent, with Antarctica being the only exception. Antarctica Owls have highly tuned senses that allow them to hunt prey from all over the globe. They’re adorable as well.
Owls are able to rotate their heads nearly completely around, but they’re not very often.
There is a misconception that owls have the ability to turn around their head in 360 degree. They actually rotate around their heads 135° either direction, giving the birds 270 degrees of total motion. According to researchers bone modifications, blood vessels that have contractile reservoirs and a vascular network that supports them enable owls to turn their heads this far but without disrupting blood flow flow to the brain.
Owls have tubular, far-sighted eyes
Instead of having spherical eyes, Owls are equipped with “eye tubes” that extend deep into their skulls. This means the eyes stay in their place, and they must rotate their heads to view. The dimensions of their eyes aid them see in dark and also they’re farsighted which lets them spot their prey from miles away. In close proximity, everything appears blurryand they rely on tiny, hair-like feathers that hang from their beaks and feet to feel the food they eat. Tropical Birds
Owls have hearing that is super-powered
Owls are able to detect prey from under plants, leaves and dirt as well as in snow. Certain owls have ears that are different in height on their heads. This helps them find prey on the basis of tiny variations in the sound waves. Some owls also have faces that are flat equipped with feathers that concentrate on sound, effectively making their faces one large ear. (The ” on certain owls are made of feathers, and have nothing to do with relate to their ears.)
Owl flight is the simplest
In contrast to other species of birds, owls generate very little noise as they travel. They have feathers with special properties that reduce turbulence to smaller flows, which minimizes the sound. Soft velvety down also reduces the sound.
Owls eat their prey completely before releasing the unpalatable parts
The death of an owl can be gruesome. The owl first grabs the prey, then crushes it to death with its powerful claws. Then, based upon the amount of food it either consumes the prey whole or slices it into pieces. The digestive tract of the owl processes the body. The parts that aren’t digested such as bones and fur and bones, are pressed into a small pellet that is later reabsorbed by the owl. Sometimes, these pellets are taken to be used by children to examine in class.
Owls can feed on other owls
Owls not only devour huge food items (some species, such as the eagle owl even eat tiny deer) They also consume other species of owls. Great horned Owls, for instance, are known to take on an owl that is barred. The barred owl, on the other hand can eat some of the Western screech owl. Predation on owls by owls might be the cause of why Western screech owl populations have decreased.
Owls feed their strongest babies first
As as harsh as it sounds the parents will always feed the strongest and oldest owlet prior to feeding its younger siblings. If there’s a shortage of food, even the smallest chicks are likely to suffer from hunger. Once an owlet has left his nest usually lives within the same tree and its parents continue to feed it food. If it survives the first winter by itself the chance of survival is high.
Owls are masters at camouflage
Owls are known to sleep in the large daylight, however the patterns and colors of their feathers allows them to blend with the surroundings.
Some owls emit terrifying sounds that resemble hissing
Apart from hooting, owls can make various sounds, from whinnies whistles and squeaks. Barn owls yell when it is scared and is like something out of an eerie nightmare.
Owls of the elf live in cacti
The smallest of owls is the Elf-owl that lives in the southwest of the United States and northern Mexico. It can make their home inside the huge cactus saguaro, settling in the holes left by animals. However, the elf owl doesn’t care about where it is and can be found in trees or in telephone poles.
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