Owl Fun Facts

Owls: Fascinating Facts

• There are over 220 species of owls worldwide, depending on how they’re classified. Nineteen species are found in the United States and Canada. Owls inhabit every continent except Antarctica.
  
  

• Owls live in a variety of habitats, with the greatest number of species found in forests.
  
  

• All owls have an upright posture and forward-facing eyes, giving them binocular vision and excellent depth perception. Their tube-shaped eyes help them spot prey from great distances.
  
  

• Many species have asymmetrical ears—different sizes and positioned at different heights. This enhances their hearing and allows them to pinpoint prey even in complete darkness.
  
  

• Some owls have feather tufts on their heads that resemble ears or horns. These are not actually ears, and may serve purposes such as signaling mood or reacting to wind direction, but ornithologists don't really know.
  
  

• The distinctive flattened facial disk of an owl funnels and amplifies sound—by up to 10 times—directly to its ears, allowing it to detect sounds that humans can’t hear.
  
  

• Because owls' eyes are fixed in place by bony sockets, they cannot move them like humans. Instead, they can rotate their heads up to 270 degrees to look around.
  
  

• Owls have three eyelids per eye: one for blinking (upper), one for sleeping (lower), and a third called the nictitating membrane, which cleans and protects the eye during hunting.
  
  

• A single barn owl can eat up to 1,000 mice a year, often swallowing them whole. Farmers often attract barn owls to help with rodent control in crop fields.
  
  

• Owls are carnivores. Their diet includes rodents, insects, reptiles, fish, birds, and even other owls. After digesting their prey, they regurgitate indigestible parts—like fur, feathers, and bones—in compact pellets.
  
  

• They have zygodactyl feet—two toes facing forward and two backward—with sharp talons, giving them a powerful grip for catching and holding prey.
  
  

• Special fringes on the leading edges of their wing feathers allow owls to fly silently, aided by their light bodies and broad wings.
  
  

• In many owl species, females are larger, heavier, and more aggressive than males. If the species is sexually dimorphic, females are often more brightly colored too.
  
  

• Owls produce a wide range of vocalizations, including hoots, screeches, whistles, barks, growls, rattles, and hisses. During nesting season, their calls can be heard from up to a mile away. Females usually have higher-pitched voices than males.
  
  

• Not all owls are strictly nocturnal. Their activity can vary depending on seasonal light levels, food availability, and habitat conditions. In tough conditions, they may hunt during the day.
  
  

• Most owls do not migrate, but they can be nomadic, moving in search of better food sources.
  
  

• A group of owls is called a parliament, wisdom, bazaar, or study. Young owls are called owlets.
  
  

• Owls appear in the fossil record dating back 58 million years. The largest known fossil species, Orinmegalonyx oteroi, stood about three feet tall.
  
  

• Owls have long been cultural symbols, appearing in French cave paintings, Egyptian hieroglyphics, and Mayan art.
  
  

• Modern threats to owls include habitat loss, pesticide exposure, vehicle collisions, wire fences, fishing lines, and human disturbance. Shining lights or playing owl calls can cause stress and disrupt their hunting or mating behaviors.