Owl Facts

Have you ever heard that an owl can turn its head completely around? Or that owls are blind in daylight? Or that the feather tufts on an owl’s head are its ears? Or that if you hear an owl it means bad luck? These are all misconceptions that have been passed down through generations. Let’s set the record straight.

Owls can rotate their heads three-quarters of the way around. They cannot move their eyes from side to side but have extremely flexible necks and can move their heads rather quickly – thus the illusion of a complete turn.

Owls see perfectly well during the day, and exceptionally well at night.

Owls have the best hearing of all birds. Their ears are located on the sides of their heads and are hidden by feathers. The so-called “ear-tufts” on the top of the head aid in camouflage and recognition between individuals and have nothing to do with hearing.

If you hear an owl calling, consider yourself fortunate…. even more fortunate to observe one in the wild.

Owls are predators – they catch, kill and eat other animals in order to survive. This predation is neither cruel nor wasteful and has been going on for millions of years. It seldom upsets anything except perhaps a few people. An owl killing and eating another animal is no different from a robin eating a worm or a gull eating a fish.

Although some owl species are diurnal (active by day), most owls hunt at night and are seldom observed by humans. Because of this nocturnal (nighttime) existence, they are little known and often misunderstood, even though some owls live their entire lives in close proximity to people.

Hunting at night, owls use their extraordinary vision and excellent hearing to locate their prey. Special adaptations such as wide wings, lightweight bodies and unusually soft, fluffy feathers allow them to fly silently. Owls seize their prey, usually a rodent or other small mammal, and kill it with their powerful feet. If the prey is small enough, it is swallowed whole; otherwise the food is torn apart by the owl’s strong, hooked beak.

(Snowie Owls hunt at any time of day, adapting to the Arctic’s long summer days and equally long winter nights)

The owl’s digestive system assimilates the nutritious portions of the prey; the undigested parts, such as hair, bones, claws, teeth, etc., are regurgitated in the form of pellets. These pellets, found at roosting sites, can be examined to determine the owl’s diet.

There are eighteen species of owls in North America. Some species, like the Screech Owl and the Great Horned Owl, live in one place year round; others, like the Saw-whet Owl and the Short-Eared Owl and the Burrowing Owl will travel long distances.

All owls are protected by state and federal regulations. It is illegal to capture or kill an owl; it is also illegal to possess an owl, living or dead, without the proper permits from local state governments, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Owls pose no threat to humans, although adult birds will defend their territory and their young against any intruders, human or otherwise. Unfortunately, superstitions and the untruths about owls will persist which have subjected this group of birds to unwarranted suspicion and persecution. We hope, with the knowledge and understanding of the owl’s true character, these fears and misgivings will be replaced by tolerance and respect for these unique birds.

Adapted and Published with the permission of:

The Raptor Trust
1390 White Bridge Road – Millington, NJ 07946
908-647-2353