- The Great Gray Owl - Photo by Scott Liddell
Though owls are mysterious and have been thought to be bad omens, humans need not fear these birds of prey. Their hunting skills are useful in controlling common garden pests. Learn how an owl hunts and how these raptors interact with humans.
Physical Characteristics of Owls
Contrary to popular belief, owls cannot see in the dark. However, their eyes are able to see in very low light. Owls have the most frontally situated eyes of any birds, and unlike other birds, they have binocular vision, which means they are able to see objects with both eyes at the same time. This allows them to judge distances and determine how far they need to pounce to catch a prey animal.
Owls’ hearing is particularly acute. Interestingly, their ears are not symmetrical. The right ear’s opening is at the bottom, while the left ear’s opening is at the top. This allows owls to hear differences in height. If a sound is louder in an owl’s right ear, it knows the sound is coming from below. If a sound is louder in the owl’s left ear, it knows the sound is coming from above. If the level is equal in both ears, the sound is coming from a source at the same height as the owl.
An owl’s nearly silent flight allows it to sneak up on its prey. Its long wings spread the owl’s weight over a large surface area. Its feathers have a velvety pile and are finely fringed at the edge, further muting the sound of flying.
How an Owl Hunts
Although owls are most known for nocturnal hunting, these predators also hunt during daylight. They usually wait for prey, then drop onto their targets. One strike with an owl’s talons will render the animal helpless. The owl kills quickly and carries its prey with one foot or in its beak.
How an Owl Digests Its Food
Because an owl has no teeth, it swallows small animals whole. It uses its bill and talons to tear larger animals into smaller pieces. All food goes directly into the owl’s digestive system. The undigestable parts—bones, feathers, fur, teeth and claws—are regurgitated as pellets.
Pellets are left by other birds of prey, including hawks, eagles, gulls, swallows, dippers and swifts. However, these pellets are usually smaller and contain fewer animal parts than owl pellets. For this reason, owl pellets are often studied by scientists. Because of the risk of salmonella, it’s important to wear gloves and a mask when working with owl pellets.
Human and Owl Interaction
Owls are usually trusting and will allow strangers to come near. They have been known to sit on people’s shoulders and feed from people’s hands. Because owls are not afraid of flashlights, owl fans often go on “owl prowls,” using a flashlight to spot these beautiful raptors in the woods.
Smaller owls, such as screech owls, and even some larger owls are surprisingly common in suburbs and small towns. The tree-lined streets and backyard habitats closely resemble the sparse woodlands they prefer. Urban areas provide easy prey animals, such as pigeons, starlings, tree squirrels, mice and rats.
Though mysterious, these skilled hunters play an important role in controlling rodents and insects. Homeowners usually welcome owls to their yards.
Sources
Lawrence, R.D., Owls, the Silent Fliers, Revised Edition, Firefly books, 2001.
Long, Kim. Owls, A Wildlife Handbook, Johnson Books, 1998.
Sparks, John; Soper, Tony. Owls: Their Natural and Unnatural History, Facts on File, 1989.
Johnsgard, Paul A. North American Owls, Biology and Natural History, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1988.
Maslow, Jonathan Evan. The Owl Papers, E.P. Dutton, Inc. 1983.
