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Nikon and The Brevard Nature Alliance present Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival November 16 - 20, 2005 in Brevard County, Florida A celebration of birds and wildlife. |
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Nikon and The Brevard Nature Alliance present Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival November 16 - 20, 2005 in Brevard County, Florida A celebration of birds and wildlife. |
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Owls are perhaps the most widely recognized group of animals in the world. They occur on all continents except Antarctica and have populated the most remote groups of islands in the world, including Hawaii. Owl lore, myth, and stories have been verbally passed along in many native cultures throughout the world. Indeed, cave paintings dated to the Paleolithic period in France depict a Snowy Owl.
The Little Owl appears on Greek coins dating to about 400 B.C and represents Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, and patron of Athens. Owls have been mentioned in the writings of Aristotle and Pliny. Owls occur in the art of Michelangelo, Durer, Picasso and others. Owls have been referenced in numerous short stories and poems, such as Edward Leer's Owl and the Pussy Cat. Today, owls are used as sport mascots or corporate logos. Even human behaviors have been referenced to a person being a bit owly, owlish, or owl-eyed, last night. Finally, a group of owls is referred to as a Parliament, believed to reflect these birds wisdom in thought and council, similar to human legislative bodies.
Fossil owls date back to the Paleocene, about 55-65 million years ago. Some of our modern genera however, can be dated to the Pleistocene, about 3 million to 10,000 years ago. Interestingly, there is even indication of gigantic, 3-feet tall flightless owls living mostly on predator free islands, also during the Pleistocene. Today we recognize about 205 species worldwide. These numbers are based largely upon results from geological, morphological and molecular data. In recent years however, these numbers seem to change annually as new molecular methods for defining species arise. Occasionally, a new species is discovered by observation, or even rediscovered after years without being seen. All owls fall under the Order Strigiformes, and are further divided into two Families, the Tytonidae, about 16 species and the Strigidae, about 189 species. Further groupings suggest 3 sub-families and 6 tribes. The Tytonidae (Barn and Bay Owls) appear to be the older group, while the Strigidae (all others owls) are the younger group. In the United States and Canada there are 19 or 20 species of owls that breed.
As one might guess, the greatest diversity of owl species occurs in the tropical zone, generally between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. There are small species such as Pygmy Owls at 2-3 ounces, and large species such as Eagle Owls at 5-8 pounds.
Of the world's owls, few (about 2%) look round-headed, but can also erect feather tufts on the top of their heads, others are permanently round-headed (52%), and still others have permanent feather tufts on the top of their heads (about 46%). The world's owls seem to have three basic eye colors: yellow (about 61%), brown (about 33%) and orange (about 6%). It is unclear for what function these iris colors have evolved.
Owls are predatory and eat a wide range of prey, including insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. There are no true carrion eaters, yet under certain circumstances some species will eat dead animals. Most species do not build nests, and need natural or woodpecker holes in trees, stick platform nest in trees made by other species, a place on the ground, or even underground to nest.
Yet, despite their worldwide distribution and 200 plus species, they can be rather difficult to find. Thus we still know little about most species of owls in the world. Many species are nocturnal or nearly so, and perhaps somewhat secretive. These behaviors have led most species to evolve traits that render them rather inconspicuous. For example, owls that roost during the day usually choose a hiding place that makes them less likely to be seen. Furthermore, they remain somewhat motionless while in their roosts. Additionally, they have evolved cryptic coloration and plumage patterning that further enhances their hiding. And finally, if a threat is nearby, they can employ behaviors such as raising their feather tufts on their heads, or compressing body plumage to enhance their camouflage. If you combine a good hiding place, plumage coloration and patterning, and behaviors, finding owls can be rather difficult.
Aside from the difficulty in finding owls, if you know the relative breeding seasons, and the vocalizations, you can pinpoint areas where owls may be breeding and locate them for yourself. Owls have a wide repertoire of vocalizations, and if you remember as a general rule, the large ones tend to hoot and the small ones toot - with few exceptions.
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