Mysterious Owls

BY SUSIE BARNES

Owls have been a source of mystery and fascination for decades. They’ve crossed different cultures. They have been bad omens, good omens, and a bit of everything in between. As late as the 1960s, owls were still being nailed to barn doors to ward off evil. Native Americans associated them with the afterlife. They also considered them a symbol of wisdom: “The wise old owl.” In Ancient Rome, the call of an owl meant that death was coming.

So, how did these owls find their way into so many different cultures? It’s the way they are built! Owls have 14 cervical vertebrae that allow them to turn their heads 270 degrees. Humans have seven cervical vertebrae. It was a myth that owls could turn their heads completely around. I can imagine it was unsettling for early people to see. Owls also fly silently, unlike other raptors. The tips of their wings have a serrated edge that stops sound. Their prey can’t hear them approaching.

Owls are nocturnal. This means they’re active at night, though some are also out at dusk and sunrise. Their night vision is incredible. Owls have very large eyes compared to the size of their face. A great grey owl has the same size eyes as a human. Their eyes are spherical in shape and can function during daylight as well as night, although it is widely believed that they can’t see a wide range of colors. The only animal that comes close to an owl's vision is a cat. 

Hearing of owls is also quite advanced. Many species, such as barn owls and barred owls, have a flat satellite dish-shaped face that helps with sound waves.  Eastern screech and great horned owls, as well as others, have tufted feathers on the top of their heads. These tufts are sometimes mistaken for ears, but in actuality, they assist with camouflage.  An owl's ears are on the side of the head. The are asymmetrical holes. One is higher to hear above and the lower to hear prey on the ground. 

An owl's talons are incredibly powerful. It takes 28 pounds of force to pry open a great horned owl's feet. Talon strength is 200-500 pounds per square inch, depending on the owl. The talons also have a locking mechanism that acts like a ratchet strap. As prey breathes in, the talons continue to tighten. Owls do not build nests. They move into hollows of trees or take over another animal's nest. Owl houses are a great way to encourage them to move onto your property. These can be purchased online and aren’t super expensive. An added bonus is they provide great rodent control!

Owls are negatively affected by rat poison and glue traps. Rat poison destroys their food supply. If they consume a poisoned rodent, they are poisoned as well. This affects more than just owls. It’s anything that eats mice. Owls have been caught in glue traps. They swoop in for their prey and get stuck as well. Another issue for owls is car strikes. This happens when people toss food and wrappers out of car windows. This attracts the owl's prey, and they end up hit. Don’t be a litterbug!

So, what’s the best way to observe these amazing creatures in the wild? Just listen! Different species of owls have very distinctive calls. You can download the Merlin App to help identify all birds. Another thing to watch for is whitewash going down a tree. Owls defecate straight down, unlike hawks. You can also look for owl pellets. These are the undigested parts of prey that an owl casts out. It generally contains bone and fur. You can tell diet by going through the pellets. So, I encourage you to take time and listen for these incredible birds!