RAPTORS
Eagels | Falcons | Hawks | Owls

OWLS

Bird: Barn Owl
(Tyto alba)

Range:
North and South America, Europe, western Russia, Africa, Southern Asia and Australia. Introduced on the Hawaiian Islands, Lord Howe Island, and New Zealand. Found in open country, savanna, farmland, and city habitats.

Size:
Small crow sized owl.

Diet:
Main food is small nocturnal rodents. They have been recorded to eat rats, small rabbits, sparr ows, bats, frogs, large insects and even fish.

Description:
Barn owls are typified by heart-shaped facial discs, relatively small, uniformly dark eyes, long slender legs covered with narrow feathers, bristled feet, a comb-like middle claw and, without exception, no ear tufts. Their upperparts are orange-buff, spotted with dark grey and white. The face is white and the underparts are white, sometimes speckled with a few black spots and an occasional tinge on the breast. Females are bigger and greyer on the upperparts. The beak is very pale yellow and the eyes and claws are black.

Natural History:
In an evolutionary sense, the barn owls are a relatively recent member of the Strigiformes. The fossil evidence suggests that they probably had their origin sometime during the Miocene period over 12 million years ago. They reportedly have the best hearing of any animal. They are very nocturnal and hunt most of their prey using only their hearing. Their voice is a raspy, hissing screech and they roost and nest in dark cavities in city and farm buildings, cliffs, and trees. They usually roost singly or in pairs, but small groups roosting together have been recorded. Although no nest is built, the owl's castings often form a compact surround for the eggs. The nest site is usually the floor of a dark crevice or hollow, although old jackdaw nests are occasionally used. Owls will also use artificial nests, such as baskets or barrels. The eggs are pure white when first laid, but often become stained yellowish. Usually, 3 - 7 eggs are laid, although one clutch was recorded to have 11 eggs. Incubation is principally by the female and the male feeds her throughout. The eggs hatch in 33 days and young fledge in 9 - 12 weeks.

Personal History:
Radar - Captive bred, received from Bob Pendigras in 1993 at 3 months old. He typically performs a sound location routine in which he locates a small tape recorder using only his hearing.

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Bird: Eurasian Eagle Owl
(Bubo bubo)

Range:
The Palearctic region from south and eastern continental Europe and Scandinavia east across northwestern and central Russia and central Siberia to the Sea of Okhotsk, Sakhalin, Kuril Island and Japan. Also, south to the northern Mediterranean region, Turkey, northern Iraq, Iran, northeastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, northern India, Tibet, China and Korea. Found in forest, woodland, desert, and farmland habitats. Likes rocky outcrops and forests although is found in all types of habitats.

Size:
Largest owl in the world. Length: 46 - 73 cm
Wingspan: 170 cm (~ 4 ft.)
Weight: 1600 - 4000 g

Diet:
Mice, rats, squirrels, hedgehogs, buzzards, pigeons, crows, and magpies.

Description:
Largest of all owls, they have prominent ear tufts, a boldly streaked breast, and heavily feathered toes and tarsi. They have a light brown body which is heavily spotted and barred with dark brown. The underparts are spotted and the wings, tail, and upperparts are heavily barred. They have large, bright orange eyes and black bill and talons.

Natural History:
Typically crepuscular but also diurnal and nocturnal hunters. Often hunting from a perch. When hunting, they fly low to the ground to sneak up on prey. They clean the inedible parts at cleaning sites. They are the nocturnal counterparts of large birds of prey such as eagles and buzzards in that they share the heavy, compressed, eagle-like bill and enormously powerful talons. They prey on mammals and birds up to the size of hares and game birds. They are the largest and most powerful owl and can kill young roe deer and fox. Mating season is January - February. Most breeding territories hold several nesting sites used in rotation. They usually nest on cliff ledges or the floor of rocky caves, where the nest itself is a scrape in the ground. Sometimes, they will use old abandoned nests of eagles or buzzards. They lay 3 - 6 eggs and the female incubates for about 35 days. Young fledge at about 5 weeks of age, but it is several more weeks before they can fly properly and the parents will continue to help feed them for several months. They have been reported to live 50 + years in captivity.

Personal History:
Plato - Captive bred in 1997 at Oklahoma City Zoo.
BAO, Murphy, Darwin, and Watson - Hatched in 1998 at Oklahoma City Zoo and hand raised by NEI staff.
Archimedes (Archie) - Acquired from the Oklahoma City Zoological Park in 2000 at under 1 month old.
Xena - Acquired from a private breeder in 2001 at under a year old.
Lowell - Acquired from a private breeder in 2002 at under a year old.

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Bird: Great Horned Owl
(Buteo regalis)

Range:
All of North America except for the most hostile northern latitudes, through Middle America and South America to Tierra del Fuego and Cape Horn. Found in forest, second growth, swamp, woodland, town, mangrove, and desert habitats.

Size:
Length: 45 - 56 cm (22 in.) Wingspan: 138 cm (~ 3 - 4 ft.) Weight: 1523 g (2.5 - 3.5 lbs.)
Diet:
Birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, insects, and cottontail rabbits are the main prey items.

Description:
Bulky owls with large ear-tufts, golden eyes, and a white throat patch. Colorations vary but chest is barred and they are generally dark on the upper parts and somewhat lighter on the underparts. They are usually grey-brown but can also be reddish. They closely resemble the Eurasian Eagle Owl (above) and have been called the New World version of the Eurasian Eagle Owl. However, they are smaller and have yellow, rather than orange, eyes

Natural History:
Nocturnal hunters, they are mostly solitary in their habits. They have no natural enemies and the power and savagery of their hunting prowess, as well as their defense techniques, is well documented. Their call is a series of 3 - 8 loud, deep, hoots, with the 2nd and 3rd hoots often short and rapid. They nest in trees, caves, or on the ground. They do not build their own nests, but prefer to occupy abandoned nests of other birds, especially Red-tailed Hawks. A normal clutch contains 2 eggs and is incubated in 28 - 30 days.

Personal History:
Joe - A rehabilitation bird that hatched in 1987 and was later raised by the Carpenter Nature Center in Minnesota from late "Brancher" stage (fledgling) and is therefore considered imprinted and non-releasable. Twister - A rehabilitation bird acquired by NEI in the summer of 2001 at under a year old. JJ - A rehabilitation bird acquired by NEI in the summer of 2001 at under a year old.

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Bird: Spectacled Owl
(Pulsatrix perspicillata

Range:
Mexico, Central America, and the Northern two-thirds of South America. Found in humid tropical rainforest, second growth woodland, savanna, and mangrove habitats. They prefer to live near water.

Size:
A large, common hawk of North America. Their size and coloration vary greatly from region to region.

Length: 43 - 46 cm (17 - 18 in.) Wingspan: 2.5 - 3 ft. Weight: Male 450 - 680 g ; Female 680 - 980 g

Diet:
Small mammals, insects, caterpillars, frogs, and crabs. Occasionally skunks, opossums, bats, and birds up to the size of Jays.

Description:
They have a big, round head and no ear tufts. The mature adult is a striking blackish brown color above and yellow cream below. They have a yellow cream belly, a white patch on the front of the neck, and a dark brown belt across the breast. There are white crescents on a black face and bright yellow eyes. The white "spectacles" around their eyes give them their name. The immature bird has the adult markings in reverse. It has white plumage with a black mask and brown wings, and it may take several years from hatching to attain full adult plumage.

Natural History:
Because of their elusive behavior, little is known. We do know that they live in tropical rainforests as well as drier woods with scattered trees. They are usually nocturnal, but can be active on dull days. Their call has been compared to the prolonged, rapid tapping of a woodpecker with each successive note being lower and weaker, and the rythm quicker as the series progresses. They are known in Brazil as 'knocking owls". The female also has a hawk-like scream, which has been compared to a steam whistle. When hunting, they use a branch to perch on and scan the surrounding area. When prey is located, they drop with a swift pounce. Insects are taken from foliage. In Costa Rica, eggs are laid in the dry season, or at the start of the wet season. Nests are made in tree hollows. They lay 1 - 2 eggs in a clutch but, usually, only 1 survives. The chicks leave the nest for surrounding branches well before they can fly, but depend on their parents for up to one year. The young may take up to five years to attain their full adult plumage.

Personal History:
Zach - Captive bred at the Baltimore Zoo in August 1992.

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