Owls are birds of prey.
There are hundreds of different species of Strigiformes--the order made up of the birds of prey known as owls. Owls are found on every continent except Antarctica and in a variety of habitats. From the tiny least pygmy owl to the giant Eurasian eagle owl, all strigiformes share certain specific physical and behavioral traits, while other details vary greatly according to species.
Physical Appearance
All owls have large, round heads and large, forward-facing eyes for hunting. They have sharp, downward-facing beaks. Males and females are often similar in appearance, with coloring designed to blend into their environment, although the female is usually one fourth larger than the male.
Pysiology
Owls are built to hunt. They have exceptional vision and acute hearing. Their eyes do not rotate in the socket; however, they have the ability to turn their heads three quarters of the way around. They fly silently, diving upon their prey and catching them in their powerful talons. Owls have no "crop" (a storage area for food in the throat possessed by many birds of prey). Prey is swallowed whole, or torn into manageable pieces before being swallowed. Several hours after feeding owls regurgitate "pellets." The pellets contain the indigestible fur, feathers and bones of their prey.
Diet
Owls are exceptional hunters and obligate carnivores. They may be crepuscular (hunting at dawn and dusk) or nocturnal (hunting at night) depending on the species. While the smaller species such as screech owls mainly hunt insects, lizards and amphibians, most owls, such as barn owls and tufted owls, survive on rodents and birds, with the largest species, such as eagle owls, taking rabbits, hares and even small foxes. Some owls, specifically African and Asian fishing owls, hunt fish. Most hunting is done at dusk and dawn.
Breeding
Owls are monogamous. The bond usually lasts for one breeding season, though some species, such as the little owl, stay together for a year, while other species, such as the tawny owl, mate for life. Most owls do not build nests, but rather adopt the abandoned nests of other bird species or lay eggs on the ground or in holes in trees, openings in barns and buildings, or rock ledges in cliffs. According to "The Owl Pages," owls may lay 1 to 13 eggs, depending on the species and on the abundance of food during the breeding season. Generally, the female sits on the eggs and broods the chicks while the male brings food to the nest. Baby owls are cared for by the parents for several weeks to several months, depending on the species.
Distribution
In North America, owls can be found from Texas to the West Coast. Most species of owl do not migrate, with some exceptions in northern populations. The Birds of Prey Association in Colorado lists the burrowing owl, the short-eared owl and the saw-whet owl as species which migrate in North America.
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