Owl, characteristics
Types of owl
Feeding of the owl
Habitat of the owl
Owl as a pet
Owl, symbols and legends

Owl, characteristics

The ornithological denomination of the Long-eared Owl is Asio Otus , which is one of the birds of prey of the Strigidae family.
The owl is  a nocturnal bird of prey like the barn owl , the owl , the tawny owl , and can reach a wingspan of almost one meter.

It has a tufted plumage , characteristic of the one on the ears, with a dark shaded brown color on the head, neck and wings, while the rest of the body changes in lighter shades tending to yellow.

The natural colors of its plumage allow it to camouflage itself on the branches of trees or in the hollows of the trunks, where it finds shelter. The eyes are round and large, fixed, orange in color, with a lighter stripe in the center and surrounded by two dark circles. To be able to look around, the owl must rotate its head which can reach an excursion of 270 degrees.

Types of owl:

• The Eagle Owl , with larger dimensions that can reach a wingspan of about 2 meters and is considered the largest nocturnal bird of prey in Europe.
• Il Gufo Elfo , the smallest specimen of owl, maximum 15 cm long. There are also similar owls in the arctic areas and are called the Snowy Owl.
• The Marsh Owl : typical of some areas of North America

The Owl is a nocturnal bird , in the dark it hunts for its prey to eat, while during the day it prefers to sleep. It is a social animal , it often shares the branch or the den in the trees with other owls, a little to protect itself, a little for the spirit of defense and loyal to its group over time.

It leaves the group when the breeding season opens , which generally coincides with the beginning of spring, from March to July, and in this period separates from the group to live as a couple.

In the mating season it reproduces a repetitive verse that is heard only at a short distance, while when it wants to delimit the territory its verse becomes longer, and sonorous and reverberates like an echo, almost disturbing. In case of danger the sound emitted is further different, hissing similar to murmurs and noises with the rostrum to attract attention and alert.

Owl, feeding

The Owl is a carnivorous bird of prey . Its food is very varied, insects, other birds, mice, snakes, hares are its prey. Like all birds of prey, the hunting technique is that of sighting, gliding silently and grabbing its victim with its claws, with which it already tears it, then stuns and devours it with its beak, swallowed whole . His stomach performs a sort of synthesis, discarding bones and hair which are regurgitated in the form of a bolus.

Owl, habitat

The Owl, as already mentioned , prefers woods and coniferous forests . Look for areas with lush vegetation, but also open spaces for flying and hunting. The Eagle Owl in particular also lives in hot countries such as North Africa, as well as in the Alps and the Apennines of our country.

Owl, as a pet?

That it could be a nice-looking bird of prey is beyond doubt and some have questioned whether it is possible to breed the owl in captivity. In any case, it is a wild animal, which requires particular conditions and in the case whoever takes care of it must have a certain experience of birds of prey.

It needs space to be able to move and fly . It loves to get food independently and its prey, as already seen, are also other animals that it devours entirely and this is an aspect to be taken into high consideration.

Characteristically, the owl is an animal of habit, which does not tolerate any changes in management , in the environment that is reserved for it and this must be compatible with the lifestyle of those who decide to “adopt” an owl.

In the mating season the owl emits repeated noises as a call, mainly nocturnal.

Owl, symbols and legends

The Owl is the subject of controversial legends. For some it is a symbol of luck . In fact, many love to collect effigies of this bird of prey to symbolize wisdom.

For other beliefs, however, it is thought that the owl brings bad luck, and is even considered a bird of ill omen. The term ” gufare ” indicates the act or words of someone who can or wants to interfere with the success of a situation.