Owl Facts: 10 Fascinating Truths About These Nocturnal Raptors

1. Not All Owls Hoot

While many of us might think of the classic “hoot” when we think of owls, these nocturnal animals are capable of a whole symphony of sounds. For instance, the Barn Owl doesn’t hoot at all but instead emits a chilling, blood-curdling screech that sounds like something straight out of a horror movie.

The Eastern Screech-Owl, on the other hand, produces a sound that resembles a horse’s whinny. If you’re ever in the woods and hear what sounds like a rusty saw being sharpened, you might just be listening to a Saw-whet Owl.

Owl vocalizations, from hoots to screeches, play an important role in establishing territory and attracting mates. Each owl species has its unique set of calls.

For example, the Great Horned Owl uses a series of deep hoots to communicate, which sound like it’s saying “Whose awake? Me Too!”

Meanwhile the Barred Owl’s call is often described as “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?”

2. Owls Can Rotate Their Heads 270 Degrees

Ever wished you could turn your head like an owl? These birds have incredibly flexible necks that can rotate up to 270 degrees.

This is thanks to their 14 neck vertebrae (twice as many as humans), along with unique adaptations that ensure their brains receive adequate blood supply even when they twist their necks like a creepy circus performer.

Owls have a clever system of blood vessels, including a special arrangement called the “vascular network” or “rete mirabile,” which acts like tiny reservoirs of blood. When an owl turns its head, these reservoirs release blood to the brain, preventing any interruption in blood flow.

This ingenious design means owls can keep a sharp lookout in all directions without moving their bodies—a crucial advantage for spotting prey and evading predators.

And it comes in handy because some owl species have eyes so large, they can’t actually rotate them in the eye socket! More on that later…

3. Silent Flight

Owls are the ninjas of the bird world. Their wings are equipped with special feathers that reduce noise caused by flight, allowing them to swoop down on unsuspecting prey with almost no sound.

These feathers have serrated edges, known as “flutings” or “fimbriae,” which break up the turbulence that typically causes noise when air passes over a bird’s wings.

Additionally, owls have a velvety texture on the upper surface of their wings that further dampens sound by absorbing the energy created by moving air.

This stealth mode gives them a significant advantage over other birds, allowing them to make a silent swoop while hunting for prey.

The combination of these adaptations not only helps owls catch prey more efficiently but also keeps them hidden from potential predators, making them true masters of silent flight.

4. Zygodactyl Feet

Zygo-what? Weird word, but an incredible anatomical adaptation!

Owls have zygodactyl (zy-go-dac-tyl) feet, which means they have two toes pointing forward and two pointing backward.

This unique foot structure gives them an excellent grip, making them masters at catching and holding onto their prey. Imagine trying to juggle a slippery fish or a squirmy mouse without a solid grasp—yeah, not gonna happen.

What’s even cooler is that they can rotate one of their rear toes forward to help them grip their prey better. This means owls can switch between a two-forward-two-backward stance and a three-forward-one-backward grip, depending on what they’re holding onto. Talk about versatile!

This adaptation not only aids in capturing prey but also helps them perch securely on branches and other surfaces, whether they’re catching dinner or just hanging out.

And it’s not just about grip. Those strong, sharp talons are perfect for puncturing and holding prey, ensuring it doesn’t wriggle away.

So, the next time you see an owl perched majestically on a branch, remember—it’s got some seriously nifty footwork going on.

5. Asymmetrical Ears

Owls have an impressive sense of hearing, and in many species, that’s thanks to their asymmetrical ears. This uneven ear placement allows them to pinpoint the location of sounds with remarkable accuracy, even in complete darkness.

Here’s how it works:

Some owl species have one ear positioned slightly higher on their head than the other.

This asymmetry means that sounds reach each ear at slightly different times and at different volumes.

The brain processes these minute differences to create a three-dimensional auditory map of their surroundings.

It’s like having a built-in GPS that works perfectly even without light.

This incredible adaptation is fantastic for hunting in the dark, as it helps owls detect and locate the slightest rustle of a mouse in the grass or the flutter of a bird’s wings.

Another important element aiding their exceptional hearing is the facial disc. The facial disc is a concave arrangement of feathers on an owl’s face, which functions like a satellite dish, directing sound waves toward the ears.

This disc is highly adjustable, allowing the owl to shape it for optimal sound collection. When an owl hears a sound, the disc helps to funnel and amplify the sound waves, providing the owl with more detailed information about the location and distance of the noise.

The combination of asymmetrical ears and a finely tuned facial disc enables owls to detect even the faintest sounds with incredible precision.

This allows them to locate prey hidden under snow, foliage, or in total darkness, making them some of the most effective nocturnal hunters in the animal kingdom.

So, the next time you hear a rustle in the night, remember an owl could be hearing it with pinpoint accuracy from far away!

6. Exceptional Night Vision

While their hearing is top-notch, owls also boast incredible night vision.

Owl eyes are packed with rod cells—those are the photoreceptor cells in the retina that are super sensitive to light. Rod cells don’t detect color, but they are fantastic at picking up light, even when it’s scarce. This is crucial for seeing in the dark, where every bit of available light counts.

While humans have more cone cells (for color vision) than rods, owls are rocking a high rod-to-cone ratio, making them night vision extraordinaires.

In many species of owl, the eyeball is shaped not like a ball at all but like a tube. This means they’re fixed in their sockets and can’t move their eyes like we do. No side-eye for these guys!

Instead, they move their entire head to change their field of view (see the circus-neck fact above).

This, combined with a high number of rod cells in their retinas, makes them exceptional at seeing in low light.

7. Owls Come In All Sizes

Owls are an incredibly diverse group, ranging from tiny insect hunters to massive fish-eaters. Let’s meet the smallest and largest members of the owl family.

The Smallest Owl: The Elf Owl

Meet the Elf Owl – the tiniest owl species in the world. Weighing in at just about 1.5 ounces and measuring around 6 inches in length, this diminutive predator is found in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Despite its small stature, the Elf Owl is a fierce hunter, preying on insects and small mammals with remarkable efficiency.

The Largest Owl: Blakiston’s Fish Owl

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have Blakiston’s Fish Owl, the largest owl species. This giant is found in parts of Russia, China, Japan, and possibly North Korea. It can reach up to 28 inches in length and boasts a wingspan of up to 6 feet. Blakiston’s Fish Owl primarily feeds on fish and small mammals, using its impressive size and strength to dominate its aquatic hunting grounds.

8. Many Owls Don’t Build Nests

Unlike many other birds, most owl species don’t bother with building their own nests. Instead, they use abandoned nests of other birds, natural cavities in trees, or even burrows in the ground.

For example, the Great Horned Owl often takes over old nests built by hawks or crows. The Eastern Screech-Owl typically nests in tree cavities, often using holes made by woodpeckers. However, some species, such as the Great Gray Owl, occasionally build their own platform nests in trees, although this is less common.

Meanwhile, the Burrowing Owl, as its name suggests, uses underground burrows dug by prairie dogs or other animals. They also use animal dung to attract insects – a primary food source for their young. Talk about efficient real estate management! Additionally, burrowing owls play an essential role as natural pest control by eating rodents, which helps maintain the ecological balance.

9. Owls Vomit Bones

When it comes to dining, owls have a rather unique method of processing their food. They swallow their prey whole and later regurgitate indigestible parts like bones, teeth, and feathers in the form of pellets. These pellets are often studied by scientists to understand more about the owl’s diet and hunting habits.

10. Diverse Diets

Owls hunt using their special adaptations and unique abilities, making them opportunistic feeders with a diverse diet that can include a wide variety of animals. 

Great Horned Owls are anything but picky and have been known to eat skunks, moles, squirrels, porcupines, opossums, and even young alligators.

Meanwhile, the Northern Spotted Owl specializes in small rodents, including flying squirrels, red tree voles and woodrats. But, this specialization has made them vulnerable – they’re dependent on the specific types of habitat that support their food source, making it tough to survive as forests are cut down and to compete as the more agressive and very opportunistic eater, the Barred Owl, moves into the neighborhood. 

11. Baby Owls Are Called Owlets

We saved the cutest fact for last.

That’s right, the adorable fluffy offspring of owls are known as owlets. These little bundles of fluff are usually born helpless and blind, relying completely on their parents for food and protection.

The development of owlets is impressively rapid. Within a few weeks, their eyes open, and they begin to grow more feathers.

Owlets exhibit a behavior known as “branching” before they actually take their first flight. During this stage, they leave the nest and explore nearby branches, flapping their wings to build up strength and coordination.

This phase is a big deal for their development as it prepares them for fledging, the term used for their first flight. Depending on the species, this can occur anywhere from a few weeks to a few months after hatching. 

During the fledging period, the young owls continue to rely on their parents for food until they master hunting skills. As they grow, their down feathers are replaced by adult feathers, and their hunting instincts become more refined.

Eventually, the owlets become proficient hunters and are ready to venture out on their own, and voila! The next generation of odd-and-magnificent raptors is let loose upon the world. 

12 Pub Trivia Facts About Owls That’ll Make You a Birding Badass

1. Owls have three eyelids: One for blinking, one for sleeping, and one for keeping their eyes clean.
2. Most owls are nocturnal, but some, like the Burrowing Owl, are active during the day.
3. A group of owls is called a parliament, wisdom, bazaar, or a study.
4. Owls can catch prey that’s hidden under snow or leaves by using their acute sense of hearing.
5. Many owl species have feathers on their legs and feet to protect them from the cold.
6. Owls swallow prey whole and later regurgitate the indigestible parts as pellets.
7. The Great Horned Owl is known as the “tiger of the sky” due to its fierce hunting skills.
8. Barn Owls are excellent pest controllers, eating large numbers of rodents.
9. Snowy Owls can live up to 10 years in the wild, but in captivity, they can live much longer.
10. Burrowing owls can mimic the sound of rattle snakes to freak out potential predators and send ’em scurrying away.
11. Elf Owls use cacti for nesting sites, often taking over old woodpecker holes.
12. Barred Owls are known for their distinct calls which sound like “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?”

Owls are fascinating creatures with a plethora of unique adaptations that make them superb hunters and survivors. From their silent flight and flexible necks to their diverse diets and intricate courtship rituals, there’s always something new to learn about these incredible birds. Whether you’re watching them in the wild, reading about them, or engaging in owl-themed activities, there’s no denying the allure of these enigmatic birds of prey.

Books We Love About Owls

More Resources

• The Owl Pages
• All About Birds
• National Geographic
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• International Owl Center