Owls are BIRDS OF PREY. Birds of prey are a large group of birds that include falcons, hawks, eagles and owls. Being a bird of prey means owls are predators or hunters. They hunt and kill their dinner. They catch their food fresh. Owls only eat meat, such as small animals, insects, fish, frogs or birds. They do not eat nuts or berries as some other birds do.

Owls have special beaks and talons. Their beak is curved and sharp for tearing meat and their talons are designed so they can swoop down and grab their PREY.

Owls are also considered RAPTORS. Raptors can soar. Other birds can fly but that is not the same as soaring. When birds fly they flap their wings all the time to stay in the air. Owls and other raptors do not have to do that.

Parts of an Owl

Starting at the top is the head. Owls have the EYES, ears and mouth. An owl’s eyes are very interesting. The eyes are big and they can see more around them then we can. And they can turn their heads almost all the way around. This gives the super sharp vision to see small prey. They have three eyelids. Owls have very good hearing as well as good eyesight.

Instead of a mouth like ours an owl has a BEAK. The beak is very sharp, pointed and curved to help the bird tear and pull apart its meal. The CROP is just below the bird’s throat. It is a like a pocket. Much of what the owl eats goes here and is sorted out. The bones and fur are separated from what the owl will actually DIGEST. Once the owl has digested the good meat, it throws up a ball of the ground up bits of bone and fur. This is called a casting or owl pellet. You can tell where owls nest by the castings they leave on the ground near their hunting areas.

The CHEST on birds of prey is covered in softer feathers and is usually rounded, bulging and strong. The BACK is straight and covered in darker feathers than the head area. The THIGHS on owls are very strong. The thigh muscles must be strong enough for the bird to catch and hold on to its meal.

The WINGS on an owl are different than other birds. They are designed for soaring. The feathers on the wings are set in a slightly different way so that the bird can also dive toward its prey. Sometimes this dive is almost straight down. This is called a STOOP.

The tail feathers are the longer end feathers coming down and out from the bird’s back. The tail feathers are called the DECK

The shin of the bird is between its thigh and talons. It is the part of the leg, which shows below the soft downy thigh covering. The shin is called the TARSIS.

The TALONS (or toenails) of the bird of prey are so sharp they can stab and rip apart the prey. They are curved and very pointed.

What Owls Look Like

Owls and other birds of prey have very unique colors. They are different because of their need to hunt small animals, birds or fish.

In most owls, the top if the owl is darker than the underside of the owl. The lighter belly and throat help the owl to remain unseen by animals on the ground. From below, an owl can blend with the clouds. When they are on the ground, the darker back and top of the wings lets them blend with their surroundings. The female owl is usually bigger than the male, but the male usually has the prettier coloring of feathers. Owls molt usually once a year. This means they shed their old feathers and grow new ones.

Owls come in different sizes. Some are large and some are very tiny like the little screech owl.

Where They Live

Heavily treed areas and dense forest are homes to tree-dwelling owls. The owl is a night bird of prey. It does its hunting in the dark, with eyes that can see through the night. Birds of prey live in the type of area in which they are able to hunt best. Their body and wing shapes, their eyesight and nesting habits all rely on their environment.

Tree nests are home to most owls. They often take over the nests of other birds. When they do build their own nests, they use the same material as other types of birds. Some build their nests in the holes in tree trunks. Others use a hollowed out hole in the ground, tufts of grass or farmer’s barns for their homes. A Burrow Owl builds its home burrowed into the ground. They burrow down into the soil and build warm nests.

Breeding & Babies

Owls most often have only one mate. Spring is when most of the babies are hatched. Baby owl’s feathers look different than adults. This helps protect them from predators that might want them for dinner. Some owls live together only during mating season and other types such as the tawny owl live together all year round. Three to four eggs is what most owls lay but some owls can lay as many as thirteen eggs.

Owl Activities You Can Do