Owl

From Encyclopediak

Owl. The Owl Family includes at out 200 species of birds of prey. Owls are characterized by having round, full faces, with eyes directed forward and surrounded by a ruff of feathers. Several species also have tufts of feathers on the head, resembling ears or horn,, and from this peculiarity the long-eared owl and the great horned owl take their name. Most owls fly by night and spend the day in sleep in some secluded and deeply shaded place, such as the top of an evergreen tree in a dense wood. The plumage is abundant and remarkably soft, rendering the owl's flight noiseless. Owls feed upon mice, squirrels, and other Rodents, upon small birds, and, to a limited extent, upon insects. They destroy many farm pests and should be considered by the farmer as a friend instead of an enemy, as is too often the case. The color is usually some shade brown, mottled with darker shades the same color. The snowy owl, an ihabitant of the Arctic regions, is white with brownish markings. In winter this owl is quite common in the northern New England States. Owls build their nests in old trees, and in holes in trees, and the eggs are always white. They vary a number with the species. The little screech owl, about ten inches long, and the barn owl, a little larger, are the two species best known. The call is a peculiar hoot or whoop. When uttered suddenly in the stillness of the night, it is often startling, and superstitious people regard the owl as a bird of evil omen.