Owls are “present for us in some deeper way or place, where night lives inside us.” – Jennifer Ackerman, in her book What An Owl Knows
January’s official bird is the owl and what a magical and mysterious creature to start the year off with! Full of majesty, owls evoke a sense of introspection and wonder that Januarys also seem to do.
There are around 200 species of owls in this world so there’s a favorite owl for just about anyone! Like the cute little saw-whet owl, the striking Barn owl, the regal Great Horned owl, and the ethereal Snowy owl.
They also come in a variety of sizes, ranging from the smallest owl, the Elf owl which weighs 31 g to the largest owls, which include the Eurasian Eagle-Owl, which can weigh up to over 4 kg!
Most owls are nocturnal, solitary, birds of prey and have evolved to become exceptional hunters. Some anatomical features that help them with this include their stereoscopic, forward-facing eyes which allow for greater depth perception in low light and the asymmetric ear placements, which allows them to pinpoint the location of their prey.
In addition, owls have serrated edges on their wings, which allow them to fly almost silently! Since most owls hunt in the dark and they are all farsighted, the ability to fly silently helps them hear their prey (since they can’t see them too well once they’re close).
Owls play an important ecological role, keeping rodent populations in check.
Some of the threats to owls are hunting, habitat loss, pesticide use, vehicular collisions, and viruses. There are many organizations working on owl conservation and you can do a quick internet search to find some in your geographical region.
If you’re looking for a great, easy-to-read book all about owl facts and lore, I recommend Jennifer Ackerman’s What an Owl Knows. I have a review of the book HERE.
