Owls – those mysterious, nocturnal creatures with their haunting hoots and piercing eyes. These magnificent birds of prey have fascinated humans for centuries with their unique features and behaviors. From their impressive hunting abilities to their adaptations for the night, owls are truly captivating creatures. In this article, we’ll shed some light on the lesser-known facts about owls that will make you appreciate them even more. So, put on your night vision goggles, and let’s embark on a journey to discover 25 fascinating facts about these enigmatic birds that are sure to give you a hoot!
1-5 Fun Facts About Owls
1. The world is home to a stunning variety of owls, with a staggering 220 different species found across the globe. From the tiny Elf Owl to the majestic Snowy Owl, these birds of prey are truly diverse and fascinating creatures.
2. Owls are stealthy fliers and make minimal noise, even in rooms with multiple microphones.
3. Owls and crows have a natural animosity towards each other, often engaging in instinctive attacks upon sight, even without prior exposure.
4. Some owls keep blind snakes in their nests as helpful companions to reduce nest parasites.
5. The eye color of owls can indicate their preferred time of day for activity.
6-10 Interesting Facts About Owls
6. Ook, the owl that portrayed Hedwig, was the first actor to be cast in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
7. A group of owls is called a parliament.
8. According to Pliny the Elder(AD 23 – AD 79), owl eggs were believed to be a hangover cure in ancient times. They were also associated with ill-fortune and evil omens in the past.
9. Owls can turn their necks up to 135 degrees in either direction, giving them a total movement of 270 degrees.
10. Owls have a unique blood-pooling system that allows them to turn their heads without injuring themselves or cutting off blood flow to their brain and eyes.
11-15 Surprising Facts About Owls
11. An owl’s eyes can account for 1-5% of its body weight.
12. The smallest owl in the world is the elf owl, measuring only 5-6 inches tall and weighing just 1.5 ounces.
13. On average, female owls tend to be larger than male owls.
14. Owls are cute, but it is illegal to keep them as pets for private individuals in the United States and most other countries.
15. In ancient Greece, owls were revered as symbols of wisdom and represented Athena, the goddess of wisdom. However, the Romans held a different belief, as they considered owls to be the bearer of bad omens and were often terrified of them.
16-20 Insane Facts About Owls
16. The Wardaman tribe in Australia believes that Gordol the owl was responsible for creating the world.
17. Owls have the best night vision of any animal.
18. Approximately 1/3 of the world’s owl species are endangered or at risk.
19. Owls typically use nests or tree cavities left behind by other birds, such as woodpeckers or northern flickers, and do not build their own nests.
20. The largest owl on record is Cuba’s extinct giant owl, which would have been one of the largest-flighted birds in the world if it could fly.
21-25 Shocking Facts About Owls
21. Owl eye color indicates their preferred hunting time: orange eyes for crepuscular (twilight) activity, dark brown or black eyes for nocturnal activity, and yellow eyes for diurnal activity.
22. Owl eyes take up a significant amount of space inside their skulls, leaving limited-room for their brains.
23. In the world of Harry Potter, owls are the primary means of communication between wizards.
24. The Aztecs and Mayans associated owls with death and destruction and feared and hated them.
25. On the other hand, The ancient Egyptians believed that owls protected the spirits of the dead during their journey to the underworld.
That’s it for this post guys, I hope you had fun while reading 25 Interesting Owls Facts
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