Do you think owls are cute? Who can resist the cute and innocent face that they show us? Owl is translated as “the ghost bird” in some languages, but it doesn’t look like a ghost at all.
Owls are considered as unusual birds in the bird kingdom. If you are interested to read more about birds, you can see popular bird breeds to pet.
Owls have very huge eyes, feathers that help them form flatter and more rounded faces than other bird species.
There are
many species of owls, but let me show you the 5 most popular breeds of owl
around the world.
Barn owl is easily noticed for having heart-shaped face. This owl species is the most widespread species. Moreover, barn owl is also the most widespread species of bird in the world.
Do you know the birds with beautiful feathers? Barn owl might not be one of them, but it also has beautiful feathers too. Barn owl is around 250mm tall from head to feet.
Barn owl is also known to have good eyesight. Another great thing about this owl species is its ability to turn its head over 180 degrees each way because of its flexible neck.
Barn owls
are bird of prey, they hunt and catch small mammals. They are specially adapted
to be able to hunt for food at night. They are equipped with sensitive hearing
and the ability to see movement with very little light. They use their long toes,
sharp talons and powerful feet to catch and grab their prey.
Spectacled owl is commonly found in southern Mexico, Central America and other parts of South America. It prefers living in dense and old-growth rainforests.
Spectacled owls prey on small mammals active at night, however, they are also able to take down larger prey, such as three-toed sloth. Their body is 43 to 52 cm long and they can weigh around 453 to 906 grams.
They are unsociable and nocturnal with most activities begin after dusk and continuing to dawn. See other nocturnal animals other than owls.
Spectacled owls have dark brown facial disk and it is bordered by long white eyebrows, white lore and white cheek streaks. Their eyes are bright combination of orange-yellow.
This owl species is considered as a medium-sized woodland owl with prominent ear-tufts, so that it is called long-eared owl. Long-eared owls are commonly found in North America, Eurasia, the Middle East and northern Africa.
They have pale ochre-tawny facial disk with a blackish rim. Their eyebrows are short and their eyes are yellowish-orange. They have prominent, erectile and blackish-brown ear tufts with edges that are tawny.
Regarding
to their diet, long-eared owls feed mostly on mammals, such as squirrels, bats,
chipmunks and others. They also feed on some other animals, such as birds,
insects and also snakes and frogs.
Oriental Bay owls are considered as small and unusual looking owls. They have short rounded wings. They also have elongated facial disc that is whitish.
Besides, their forehead is in the form of V-shaped with pale brownish grey color. They have dark brown or black brownish eyes too. Their body is 22 to 29 cm long while their weight is around 255 to 300 grams.
Just like
other owls, Oriental Bay owl is also a nocturnal creature that is active from
dusk to dawn. During the day, it mostly roost in the holes and hollows in tree
trunks. They are easily approached while roosting.
Regarding
to its diet, it also mostly feeds on small rodents, such as hamsters, rats,
mice, and other creatures such as lizards, frogs and even larger insects. You
can find this species of owl in some countries, such as Nepal, Burma and
Thailand, east to South China, and even in the Philippines.
Snowy owl is considered large owl in its species. It has rounded head, and visible ear tufts. Snowy owls have their name because of they are snowy white. Their body is 20 to 28 inches long and 3 to 7 pounds.
You can find this snowy owl in the Arctic area, specifically in an open and treeless tundra. Snowy owls mostly perch on the ground and watch for their prey. As snowy owls live in the Arctic, you might want to know the unique facts about Arctic animals.
Their
target is mainly lemming, a small rodent looks like a mouse. However, they also
hunt for some other small rodents, rabbits, fish and birds.
They have excellent eyesight, however, they won’t be able to see their prey underneath the snow or thick layer of snow, so they depend on their sense of hearing. Regarding to their active time, snowy owls are active during the day, specifically during summertime. They also tend to be active at dawn and dusk.
Regarding to snowy animals, you can see animals that love to play on the snow. You might want find snowy owls there!