The owl is a nocturnal raptor very widespread in France. Just like its cousin the owl, with whom it should not be confused, the owl is a protected animal in our country. Some species of owls migrate during the winter months, others do not. Its very particular sight and hearing make the owl a formidable hunter at night.
What is an owl?
The owl is not the name of an animal as such. It is a generic name, not a scientific classification, given to the raptors of the family of the Owls of the order Strigiformes, which wear egrets, resembling small ears, above their eyebrows. These egrets are actually small tufts of feathers that move with the mood of the owl. For example, under stress, the owl contracts its facial muscles that make its egrets stand up.
How do you recognize an owl?
Aside from its egrets, which make the owl an easily recognizable bird, this nocturnal raptor has a hooked beak and large eyes. Its face is characterized by a face mask. The owl has talons with sharp claws. It is also famous for its lugubrious and frightening cry, the hoot, which is heard at dusk and at night, a cry often associated with anguish and fear. Moreover, the names of the family and order to which the owl belongs, respectively the Strigidae and the Strigiformes, come from the Latin word "Strix", also the origin of the word witch and the name of a bird of legend, the "Stryge", a vampire bird that sucked the blood of children according to popular belief.
The particularities of the owl
Like all the nocturnal raptors in its family, the owl has developed a particular sense of sight. Its eyes are not mobile, but on the contrary, are attached to the skull. This particularity allows the owl to very well appreciate distances, which facilitates its hunting at night. Its eyes are also placed forward, giving it precise binocular vision, a mode of vision in which both eyes are used simultaneously. The owl has the ability to hunt in complete darkness thanks to its eyes that let in 2 to 3 times more light than human eyes.
The owl's hearing system is also highly developed. It allows it, through sound vibrations, to precisely locate its prey. This very useful feature for the bird of prey is due to its face mask, which acts like a parabola that concentrates the sound waves and then sends them to the owl's ear canals located at the edge of the mask, at eye level.
The owl has a flight that emits virtually no noise, allowing it to arrive silently at its prey. This characteristic is due to some of its feathers whose branches attenuate the noise of the wings in flight.
Finally, the owl does not build its own nest but occupies those already in place, nests of hawks, pigeons or herons, abandoned by their owners.
The different species of owls
The Great Horned Owl (Bubo bubo)
The Great Horned Owl is one of the largest owls with a wingspan of up to 190 cm. Its plumage is yellowish covered with dark spots giving it the appearance of true camouflage. This owl is a solitary creature that lives by day in a rocky hole or other place. The Great Horned Owl is a formidable hunter that feeds on rabbits, ducks, other birds of prey and small mammals such as the dormouse.
The long-eared owl (Asio otus)
With a length of 35 cm and an average weight of 300 grams, the long-eared owl has a recognizable elongated silhouette. It can be found in all regions of France. These owls live in groups and gather at night to sleep. Its diet consists of rodents and sparrows.
The short-eared owl (Otus scops)
This owl is small and stocky. It is recognizable by its large lemon-yellow eyes. The horned owl is a migratory bird: it spends the summer in Europe and the winter in Africa. It feeds on large insects such as crickets, moths and even small birds.
The short-eared owl (Asio flammeus)
The short-eared owl is a migratory bird that is also called "brachyote owl" because it has a short beak. Its plumage is red in color. The short-eared owl feeds mainly on voles and other small mammals. When it lives near marshes or along the coast, it also feeds on seabirds.