The owl is often considered the wisest of all birds. Owls belong to the order Strigiformes, which contains over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey. Owls are found in all regions of the Earth except Antarctica, and many owl species have adapted to a wide range of habitats.
Physical Features of Owls
Owls possess large, forward-facing eyes and ear-holes, a hawk-like beak, a flat face, and usually a conspicuous circle of feathers, a facial disc, around each eye. The feathers making up this disc can be adjusted to sharply focus sounds that come from varying distances onto the owls’ asymmetrically placed ear cavities. Most birds of prey have eyes on the sides of their heads, but the stereoscopic nature of the owl’s forward-facing eyes permits the greater sense of depth perception necessary for low-light hunting.
Owls can rotate their heads and necks as much as 270°. Owls have 14 neck vertebrae compared to seven in humans, which makes their necks more flexible. They also have adaptations like blood-pooling vessels to avoid cutting off blood supply to the brain when turned too far. The leg and toe arrangement is also adapted for capturing and securing prey. The family Tytonidae has a well-developed comb with claws on the upper leg (tarsometatarsus) and digits with claws that enable them to grasp prey securely.
Silent Flight
Owls are known for their silent flight. The serrated edges of owl feathers help to break down turbulence into smaller currents and soften noise. Also, the surface of the flight feathers is covered with a velvety down that absorbs the sound of the air flowing over wing surfaces. These adaptations, along with their nocturnal activity patterns, make owl flight effectively silent and allow them to easily sneak up on prey.
Hunting and Diet
Most owls are nocturnal, actively hunting their prey in darkness. Several types of owls, however, are crepuscular, active during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk; one example is the pygmy owl. A few owls are active during the day, also; examples are the burrowing owl and the short-eared owl.
Owls are efficient hunters and nearly all owls primarily consume small mammals, insects, and other birds. Some owls specialize in hunting fish. They usually swallow their small prey whole. Larger prey is usually torn into pieces before being swallowed. The regurgitated pellets of indigestible material from their meals often provide an important source of information regarding the diet of these birds.
Owl Species | Primary Prey |
---|---|
Barn Owl | Voles, mice, shrews, rats |
Barred Owl | Mice, voles, rabbits, squirrels |
Great Horned Owl | Rabbits, hares, squirrels, skunks, small rodents |
Snowy Owl | Lemmings, voles, rabbits, birds |
Eastern Screech Owl | Mice, voles, shrews, insects, small birds |
Habitat and Distribution
Different owl species are adapted to a wide range of habitats, ranging from deserts to tundra and wetlands. Barn owls occupy most parts of the world except polar regions and some remote islands. Eastern screech owls occur in woods from southern Canada to central Mexico. Great horned owls inhabit forests, swamps, deserts, grasslands, backyards, cities, and almost any habitat between the Arctic and the tropics.
Snowy owls are native to Arctic regions, but regularly migrate south in some areas. Northern hawk owls inhabit boreal forests across North America and Eurasia. Spotted owls occur in the moist, dense old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest. Burrowing owls live in open grasslands and prairies across much of North and South America. Stygian owls frequent rainforests and wooded lowlands from Mexico to Argentina.
Owls of Africa, Europe, and Asia
The long-eared owl is found throughout Europe, Asia, and in the northern part of Africa. Little owls inhabit parts of Europe, Asia, and northern Africa and have also been introduced in New Zealand and Australia. The tawny owl is distributed throughout much of Europe and Asia. Collared owlets are found in dry, open woodland and wooded steppes mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. Jungle owlets inhabit dense forests across South and Southeast Asia.
Reproduction and Offspring
Most owl species nest in cavities, whether natural or abandoned woodpecker holes or nest boxes. A few owls build their own nests with sticks in trees. Nesting habits vary both between genera and species.
Owls do not construct their own nests. They rely on nests built previously by other animals. Tree hollows provide nesting sites for many owls. Different owl species have adapted to using the old nests of hawks, eagles, crows, magpies, herons, and even ground squirrels.
Clutch sizes range widely based on genus and species. For example, northern saw-whet owls lay between 5 to 6 eggs per clutch while barn owls average about 7 eggs per clutch. Smaller owl species tend to lay smaller clutch sizes. Larger owls are capable of producing larger broods.
Most owl eggs are white and almost spherical. They are usually laid at intervals of 1 to 3 days and incubated for about 4 weeks. The female typically sits on the eggs while the male provides food. The eggs hatch asynchronously over 4 weeks, so owlets emerge from the eggs over a prolonged period.
Young owls leave the nest from 27–70 days after hatching. They are able to fly after 35–50 days. The young depend on the parents for food for up to 6 months after leaving the nest. Most owls reach breeding age by 1 year and have an average lifespan of about 4–5 years in the wild, up to 10 years for larger owl species.
why are owls considered wise?
There are several reasons why owls are commonly associated with wisdom in mythology, folklore, and popular culture:
Appearance
With large, forward-facing eyes and rounded heads that seem to sit directly on their shoulders, owls have a unique appearance that makes them seem human-like. Their large eyes can create an impression of intelligence.
Nocturnal habits
Owls being active at night when most other birds sleep adds to their mystique. Their ability to see and hunt in darkness suggests they possess secret knowledge.
Stealthy hunting
Owls are silent and stealthy hunters. Their ability to swoop down on prey undetected seems to require great cunning.
Association with Athena/Minerva
In Greek and Roman mythology, the owl was the bird associated with Athena/Minerva, goddess of wisdom. This link likely influenced later cultural depictions of owls as wise.
Serious demeanor
With their large staring eyes and upright posture, owls seem to have a solemn and serious demeanor that conveys thoughtfulness.
Long lifespan
Some owls can live over 20 years in captivity. Their long lifespans could be perceived as evidence of their intelligence and wisdom.
Symbol of scholarship and philosophy
Owls are commonly used as symbols of educational institutes, scholarly publications, and philosophy. This reinforces the cultural link between owls and wisdom.
Conclusion
While owls have no greater innate intelligence than other birds, human perceptions of their appearance and habits have led to owls becoming powerful symbols of wisdom in many cultures. With their large forward-facing eyes, stealthy hunting abilities, and long lifespans, owls have captivated human imagination and become icons of secret knowledge and learning.