Owl does not refer to a bird, but a general term for all birds under the owl order. This bird is distributed all over the world. According to statistics, there are more than 130 kinds of owls known at present, which can be regarded as a kind of birds.
Morphological characteristics.
The feathers around the owl's eyes are radial, and the fine feathers are arranged in a face plate, which is shaped like a cat, hence the name owl. Its feathers are mostly brown, scattered with tiny spots, densely packed, and fly silently.
Female owls are usually larger than males. The head is large and wide, the mouth is short, the sides are flat and strong, the apex is hooked and curved, the mouth base is free of wax film, and is mostly covered by bristles.
Like many carnivores, owls have their eyes directly in front of their faces, which gives them excellent depth perception during hunting, especially in dimly lit environments.
But different species of owls vary widely in size. The smaller ones are only slightly larger than magpies even when they are adults, while the larger ones can be as high as nearly 1 meter, which is also worthy of the title of "eagle".
Share interesting facts about owls.
1. The hearing of owls is very good, and owls can turn their heads almost completely, up to 270 degrees.
2. The lifespan of an owl is about 20 years. Its eggs do not hatch at the same time.
3. The size of the owl depends on the species, owls don't chew food because they don't have teeth.
4. Owls have three eyelids: one for blinking, one for sleeping, and one for keeping their eyes healthy and clean.
5. Owls are solitary animals. Compared to other animals, owls are very quiet in flight. Their eyes are very sensitive, but they cannot move.
6. Owls can be found on every continent except Antarctica. The color of owl feathers helps them blend into the environment for camouflage.
7. Owls' eyes are not really "eyeballs", their tubular eyes are completely motionless, providing binocular vision, fully paying attention to prey, and improving depth perception.
8. Owls are colorblind and the only bird that cannot distinguish colors.
Except for some birds that are accustomed to nightlife, such as owls, because the retina has no cone cells and cannot recognize colors, many birds have a sense of color.
What predators do owls have?
Since owls have the habit of nocturnal activity, and many animals are generally dispatched during the day, especially eagles, there are really not many animals that can pose a threat to owls.
When the owl comes out at night, the owl has absolute "air superiority" and has almost no natural enemies.
Have you ever seen an owl?