The Owl: Silent Hunter of the Night and Guardian of the Fields

The owl is a mysterious creature, belonging to the family of birds of prey. It flies silently at night, when almost all other creatures are asleep, and its call is loud and chilling. Some people think of it as frightening, even evil, but in fact it is not only harmless, but very beneficial.

An owl has a large head, big eyes, a short, sturdy body, and a sharp, hooked beak. Its strong legs end with powerful talons. In many ways, its features resemble those of its fellow birds of prey including the eagle, the falcon, and the vulture.

Owls usually live at the tops of trees in forests. During the day they need the camouflage of the leaves to sleep, and at night they need a high vantage point for hunting.

Sharper Than Any Glasses

God granted owls especially large eyes, allowing them to see clearly in the dark while hunting. Unlike most other birds, whose eyes are located on the sides of the head, an owl’s eyes are positioned next to each other, facing forward like a human’s. Unlike humans however, owls cannot move their eyes sideways. Their gaze is fixed straight ahead, and if they want to look to the side, they must turn their entire head. While humans can rotate their heads up to 90 degrees, owls can turn theirs a staggering 270 degrees, and with such speed that it can appear as though their faces are pointing in the wrong direction — sometimes even seeming to face backward over their bodies!

Silent Hunters of the Night

The owl’s hunting technique is extraordinary. Its feathers are soft and downy, muffling the sound of its wings in flight, which allows the owl to glide in total silence, without even the faintest rustle. To its prey, it often seems as if the owl appears out of nowhere, enabling it to attack by complete surprise.

This silence is vital, as owls fly close to the ground, even the smallest sound could scare their prey into hiding.

Their hearing is no less remarkable. The tufts on the sides of their heads are not ears, as many assume, but hidden under movable skin flaps called “discs.” Together with the feathers surrounding them, these discs act like funnels, channeling sound directly into the ears. This allows the owl to detect even the faint rustle of a mouse stepping on grass from as far as 22 meters away!

Adapted for the Darkness

Owls are the ultimate nocturnal hunters. While eagles and hawks rest at night, the owl begins its work. Unlike daytime predators, which rely on sharp long-distance vision, the owl flies low, close to the ground, depending on its extraordinary sight and hearing to detect the slightest sound or movement.

When attacking, owls use their sharp, deadly talons. They spread all eight toes wide and drive them into their prey, ensuring a strong grip. This is essential, since in the dark and at high speed, prey could otherwise escape.

An Ecological Ally

Owls provide enormous benefits to farmers by destroying large numbers of pests that damage crops. Without owls, rodents and other small creatures would multiply uncontrollably, consuming grain and devastating fields. Unfortunately, owls are sometimes harmed unintentionally by farmers. Pesticides used against weeds, insects, and rodents accumulate in the bodies of the owls that eat these creatures, eventually poisoning them.

A Careless Homebuilder

Owls are not known for their nest-building skills. They are careless, even lazy, often settling for messy, unkempt nests in barns, ruins, or tree hollows. Sometimes they simply take over abandoned nests from larger birds.

Owls live in pairs and share household duties. The female lays between three and four eggs a year and is responsible for incubating them. The male provides food for the chicks until they learn to fly and eventually feed themselves.

Both parents are highly protective of their nest, fiercely defending their chicks. They will attack any intruder without fear, striking with their sharp talons to guard their home.

Owl chicks grow slowly and remain with their parents for about three months. After that, they establish their own hunting territory, where they may live for twenty years or more.