Obaidullah

Owls are remarkably adapted for stealth in finding and capturing prey. Silent flyers, they are extremely patient as they watch and listen for prey, few predators can match the weaponry of these incredible and beautiful birds of prey, as we get out and enjoy the great outdoors.This is possible because of its long neck and a high number of vertebra (14). For comparison, we have just seven vertebrae. And owls also have a wide field of view, but somewhat less than our own. Of course, it is more than just eyes that work to make the owl such an efficient nighttime predator. Acute hearing and pronounced facial disks pinpoint the location and reflect sounds, respectively, of small rodents dozens of feet away; soft feathers provide a silent flight for capturing prey undetected; and four long and sharp talons on each foot for holding onto prey once caught, all work in unison, with their eyes, in outfitting these incredible birds of prey. Minnesota owls hunt prey from as small as insects and frogs to as large as rabbits and skunks. Small prey, such as mice and voles, are swallowed whole, bones and all. Larger prey is consumed in chunks that are torn from the carcass by using their hooked beaks. And since an owl's digestive system cannot process bones and fur, these parts are regurgitated in scat-like pellet form and can often be found beneath favorite roosting sites and nest trees. These owl pellets provide the interested observer an opportunity to learn what the bird was feeding on and where it may be living. A few nights ago, while enjoying a snowshoe hike in the relative warmth of springtime, a nearby barred owl vocalized loudly its well-known “who-cooks-for-you” call. Stopping to listen to this unique and stirring wild sound, I was delighted when another barred owl answered the first bird. And for a while, the two exchanged calls in a most interesting cacophony of vocalizations. Such a joy!Why BLANE KLEMEK OUTDOORS: Owls are a fascinating and mysterious group of wild birds?

Owls are remarkably adapted for stealth in finding and capturing prey. Silent flyers, they are extremely patient as they watch and listen for prey, few predators can match the weaponry of these incredible and beautiful birds of prey, as we get out and enjoy the great outdoors.