(Image above from google)
1. Their scientific name is Strigiformes.
2. Many owl species have asymmetrical ears. When located at different heights on the owl's head, their ears are able to pinpoint the location of sounds in multiple dimensions.
3. The eyes of an owl are not true "eyeballs." Their tube-shaped eyes are completely immobile, providing binocular vision which fully focuses on their prey and boosts depth perception.
4. Owls can rotate their necks 270 degrees. A blood-pooling system collects blood to power their brains and eyes when neck movement cuts off circulation.
5. A group of owls is called a parliament. This originates from C.S. Lewis' description of a meeting of owls in The Chronicles of Narnia.
6. Owls hunt other owls. Great Horned Owls are the top predator of the smaller Barred Owl.
7. The tiniest owl in the world is the Elf Owl, which is 5 - 6 inches tall and weighs about 1 ½ ounces. The largest North American owl, in appearance, is the Great Gray Owl, which is up to 32 inches tall.
8. There are more than 150 species of owls in the world, and some counts indicate more than 220 species depending on how different owls are classified. The greatest owl diversity is found in Asia, and only 19 owl species are found in the United States and Canada.
9. Owls are farsighted, meaning they can't see things close to their eyes clearly.
10. An owl's eyes account for 1-5% percent of the owl's body weight.
11. An owl's flattened face funnels sound to their ears so that they can detect even the slightest noise.
12. The northern hawk owl is able to hear prey as much as 12 inches under the snow.
13. Owls are found on all continents except Antarctica.
14. Not all owls hoot, and those that do also make other noises, such as chirps, whistles, screeches, barks, growls, and shrieks. The "hoo hooo" sound usually associated with owls is a great-horned owl call.
15. On average, female owls are larger than male owls.
16. While owls are depicted as extremely intelligent, they are notoriously difficult to train. Birds as diverse as parrots, hawks, and even pigeons can be taught more easily than owls.
17. Barn owls eat over 1,000 mice per year. The owls swallow their prey wholeâskin, bones, and all.
18. Owl-like birds, like Berruornis and Ogygoptynx, lived 60 million years ago. Owls are one of the most ancient types of bird, along with chickens, turkeys, and pheasants.
19. While owls are cute, it is illegal in the United States and most other countries for private individuals to keep owls as pets.
20. The Egyptians believed that owls protected the spirits of the dead as they journeyed to the underworld.
21. In South Africa, owls are associated with witchcraft and bad luck. To call someone an "owl" is the highest insult.
22. An owl has the best night vision of any animal.
23. While some owls seem to have a talent for swimming, experts point out that swimming is actually the last resort for these birds. They have no way to defend themselves once they are in the water, and they can only take off from land.
24. An owl has three eyelids: one for blinking, one for sleeping, and one for keeping the eyes healthy and clean.
25. Harry Potter's pet snowy owl, Hedwig, shares her name with two famous saints. One is Saint Hedwig of Andechs (1174-1243), a former duchess noted for her benevolence and compassionate nature. The other is Saint Hedwig, Queen of Poland (1373-1399). The death of Hedwig in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows represents Harry's loss of innocence and coming of age.
26. Seven different owls played Hedwig in the Harry Potter movies; their names are Gizmo, Kasper, Oops, Swoops, Oh Oh, Elmo, and Bandit.
27. A group of baby owls is called owlets.
28. An owl's eyes take up so much space inside its skull that there is not much room for its brain.
29. You can find owls in many places, from forests and deserts to mountains and prairies.
Thanks so much for reading this chapter. I really hope you liked it.
What was your favourite fact?
See you in the next chapter!
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