1. Owls
Matt Gutt
http://www.metrolic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/1501night_owl_1.jpg
2. http://www.interfaith.org/forum/ethical-atheist-vs-believer-in-
10289-13.html
Background Information
History
Owls have been found in cave paintings from 20,000 years ago as
well as in hieroglyphics- (Horus owl) (Animals, 2011).
Many owls are now extinct. This is due to habitat destruction.
Laughing Owl-New Zealand was identified in 1840 and extinct in
1845-virus?
Madagascar Red Owl identified in 1878 extinct in 1993. Closely
resembles Barn Owl. Sub-species, Cormoro Scoops Owl is also
extinct. Fossils of this exist.
Rodriquez Little Owl has little info known
Mauritian Barn Owl-extinct in early 1700’s(same as Newton’s
Barn Owl) (Owlworlds,2011).
Owl fossils have been found up to 58 million years ago
Orinmegalonyx oteroi is the largest at 3 feet tall (birding, 2011).
http://hawkebackpacking.com/egypt_2009_cairo_memphis.html
4. Background Information
# of Species
205(222 to 242 on worldofowls.com) but
biologists debate this fact very often
These owls are divided up into two basic
groups-Barn Owls and True/Typical Owls
(Animals, 2011).
5. General Information
People have put out fake owls to scare off other birds
Symbol of wisdom
Almost always live alone (Owlworlds, 2011)
Owls can be found on every continent except Antarctica
Owls have an up-right posture
Owls have three eyelids
Females are larger, more aggressive, and heavier
A group of owls is known as a parliament and baby owls are
known as owlets (Birding,2011).
6. Anatomy
Large head
Big eyes
Sharp beak
Field vision of 110 degrees
Can turn heads around and upside down
Three eyelids
Blinking
Sleeping
Cleaning
Can not chew food
Two part stomach
What is not digested is turned into pellets
7. Anatomy
Sharp talons (Owlworlds, 2011)
Special flight feathers for silent
flying
Ear tufts are for display
Two forward facing toes and two
backward (Animals, 2011)
14 vertebrae
hollow bones
skeleton only takes up 7-9% of (World of owls, 2011)
body weight (Owlpages, 2011)
8. http://www.finnature.fi/owls.html
Behavior
Eye color
Dark-Mostly nocturnal
Orange-Mostly active at Dawn and Dusk
Yellow-Active most in the day (World of owls, 2011)
Communication
Many sounds-clasping their wings, biting their beaks, and
hooting
Females have a higher pitch
For mating
Screech owl male calls out and female answers
(Britannica, 2011)
9. Habitat
Mostly wooded forest
Some rain forest
Grass lands and deserts where
some species like the elf owl or
even the snowy owl will nest
underground in burrows.
Will nest or sit in locations like
bushes, holes in
trees, rocks, barns, etc.
Owls are very adaptable
although destruction of habitat
will limit them (Owlworlds, 2011).
http://www.owlpages.com/image.php?image=articles-Owl+Physiology-Reproduction-8
10. Breeding
The breeding season of most owls like other wildlife starts in the
spring. Male owls will display acts, calls/duets, and courtship
flights to the female owls in hopes to attract them and become
their mate in their nesting spot. Some owls will even offer food to
the female. Owls become very aggressive to other owls or birds
while claiming their territory during this season. Owls are
opportunistic nesters, meaning that they don’t make their
nests, but instead find pre-made nests or other sites such as
holes in the trees or in buildings. (Owl Pages,2011)
11. Breeding Continued
Owls will lay anywhere from 1-13 eggs per breeding season, but
normally around 4 eggs for most owls. The chicks will hatch using
their egg tooth which is on the beak and will fall off in 1-2 weeks
after the chicks have hatched. Like most birds, the chicks will have
to compete to survive along side of their siblings for the food. Most
chicks don’t survive because normally the small weaker ones will
die off unless there is enough food being brought in. Males are
normally the hunters that will bring the food which averages around
ten times a day. The owls will continue this process while going
through the stages of learning to eat, getting their coats of
feathers, and to flying/fledging until they reach full maturity in about
a year (Owl pages, 2011).
12. http://naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/barn_
wl_712.html
Food
Hunting- Specialized sight and hearing are the dependents owls
have on spotting and retrieving their prey. Their ear tufts are the
critical adaptions to help detect vibrations and movement from
where they roost. Being very different from most birds, their
larger eyes makes it easier for them to see in the dark seeing
that most owls are nocturnal. Also their swift and silent feathers
minimizes the possibility of being detected from other animals so
that way they can accomplish the hunt. They will capture their
prey with the sharp talons on their feet and grip them tightly.
Prey- moles, voles, deer mice, squirrels, frogs, bats, other
birds, grasshoppers, small insects, prairie dogs, and fish
(Aviary, 2011).
13. Common Local Species
Barn owl-Tyto
alba
Eastern Screech
owl-Otus asio
Northern Saw-
whet owl-Aegolius
acadicus
Long-eared owl-
Asio otus
( Enature, 2011)
14. Local Species Cont..
Short-eared owl--Asio
flammeus
Great Horned owl-Bubo
virginianus
Snowy owl-Nyctea scandiaca
Barred owl-Strix varia
(Enature, 2011)
15. Predators
Top of the food chain
Fox
Snakes-tropical rainforests
Wild Cats( even household cats)
Raccoons
Squirrels
Other owls depending on size difference
How they survive
Use talons to fight off predators
Camouflage
Beaks
Sharp
Predators mostly go after wounded owls versus healthy ones
(Owlworlds, 2011).
16. Conclusion
Owls have been around for thousands of years and can be
found on every continent except for Antarctica, however
many species of these amazing creatures have gone extinct
from habitat destruction and virus’. The anatomy of owls
allows them to be superior hunters and fly with silence. Local
species include the Short-Eared Owl, Great Horned
Owl, Snowy Owl, and the Barred Owl. These owls, along
with all the other are carnivorous predators that mainly hunt
at night. I hope you enjoyed my presentation on one of the
most adapted predators of life.
17. Work Cited
"20 Fun Facts About Owls - Owl Trivia." Birding and Wild Birds. Web. 03 Oct. 2011. <
http://birding.about.com/od/birdprofiles/a/20-Fun-Facts-About-Owls.htm>.
“Owls.”ENature. Web. 06 Oct. 2011. <
http://enature.com/fieldguides/view_default.asp?curGroupID=1&shapeID=960>.
"Kinds of Owls." Owls - Pictures, Information, Sounds. The Aviary at Owls.com - Species Owls Great Horned Barn. Web.
03 Oct. 2011. <http://aviary.owls.com/owls.html>.
"Owl (bird) :: Reproduction and Development -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia." Encyclopedia - Britannica Online
Encyclopedia. Web. 06 Oct. 2011. <
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/436310/owl/49116/Reproduction-and-development>.
Owl Facts and Information. BioExpedition Publishing. Web. 06 Oct. 2011. <http://www.owlworlds.com>.
"Owl Facts - Facts About Owls." Animals Wildlife - Animal Facts, Animal Pictures, Habitat Facts, Evolution and Zoology.
Web. 03 Oct. 2011. <http://animals.about.com/od/owls/a/owl-facts.htm>.
The Owl Pages - About Owls - Photos, Calls, Books, Art, Mythology and More. Web. 03 Oct. 2011. <
http://www.owlpages.com/>.
“What Are Owl.” The World of Owls. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. http://www.worldofowls.com/whatareowls.htm.