Owls of Ohio - Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Owls of Ohio - Ohio Department of Natural Resources Owls of Ohio - Ohio Department of Natural Resources
are commonly known as “owl pellets.” Withinseveral hours of consuming a meal, indigestiblematerials are compacted into small oblongpellets comprised mainly of bone and fur,and eventually expelled through the mouth.Researchers studying the diets of owls can pickthrough these pellets and determine what typeand how many animals are being consumed.The presence of owl pellets often leads birdersto roosting owls, too.S o u n d s owl morphologyIn general, owl sounds are easily recognized,and in many cases even the uninitiated will beable to recognize the call as that of an owl. Anumber of species deliver what could best bedescribed as “hoots,” such as the great hornedowl, and no one should have any difficultydetermining that the singer is an owl. Somecalls, however, are not as obviously owloriginated,such as the odd quavering whistlesof Eastern screech-owls or the monotonepiping of Northern saw-whet owls. In manyspecies, the calls of the male are lower in pitchthan the female, and the sexes can be easilydifferentiated when a pair is calling back andforth. Most if not all owl species also delivernon-vocal sounds such as bill snapping, or in thecase of short-eared owls, wing clapping duringcourtship display flights. The accompanyingCD contains many typically heard calls andsounds produced by North American owls.Owl MythologyBarred owl effigy pipe. Created by HopewellIndian craftsmen between 100 B.C. and500 A.D. Found in the Tremper Moundnear Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio.Photo Courtesy of the Ohio Historical SocietyHistory is filled with strangelore about owls. Interesting talesregarding owls date back to thebeginning of recorded history;after all, given their mysteriousnocturnal habitats and ofteneerie vocalizations, owls areripe fodder for superstitions.By turns, owls have beenconsidered omens of good luck,bad fortune, impending doom,wisdom, foolishness, evil andwitchcraft, and even predictorsof weather.As far back as ancient Greece,owls were making their markon the cultural psyche. Athene,the mythical Goddess ofWisdom, was deeply impressedby the charisma of owls, andthus caused them to be held inhigh regard. In fact, a genus ofowls is named after her – Athene,which includes the burrowingowl, Athene cunicularia, of NorthAmerica.
M o d i fi ed Fe ath er s owl morphologyOwls are truly silent killers; they havespecialized feathers that greatly reduce soundcaused by air passing over the feathers. Theleading edge of the primary flight feathers arefimbriate; that is, they have comb-like extensionsalong the feather’s edge that greatly mufflesound, allowing the bird to better ambushprey.Long-earedowl flightfeathers.Photo by: ODNR Division of Wildlife / Jim McCormacBy Roman times, owls had fallen from favor – at least in Rome – andamong other things were accused of being transformed witches using theform of owls to suck the blood from infants.At least some Englanders of long ago viewed owls somewhat morefavorably – they thought that seeing an owl brought good luck. This is incontrast to some of their counterparts, who believed the best way to staveoff lightning strikes was to nail a barn owl to the barn door, a practice thatcontinued into the 19th century in some quarters.Bizarre examples of owl mythology abound around the globe. InCameroon, some believe owls to be so evil that they can’t be named,and they are known by the cumbersome “bird that makes you afraid.”Greenlanders take a much more hospitable view of owls, and regardthem as a source of helpful direction. Owls in Ireland would be wise tonot enter dwellings. A legend there has it that any owl entering a housemust be killed immediately, lest it depart and take the home’s good luckwith it. Fortunately, most owls are not very prone to entering abodes, savefor barn owls on occasion. In nearby Scotland, it is considered unlucky tosee an owl during the day. They must not have interviewed many birderswhen developing that superstition. In one of the strangest beliefs of all,Transylvanian farmers once attempted to frighten owls from their fieldsby walking their land while naked. Depending on the farmer, this strategymight work on nearly anything.Finally, owls have recently been thrust into the limelight in a majorway via the immensely popular Harry Potter series of books and movies.Collectively, J.K. Rowling’s six Potter books have sold well over 250million copies in over 200 countries, and have been translated into at least60 languages. Owls are prominent characters in these books; they serve aswinged messengers transporting mail, and are generally cast in a favorablelight. Harry’s owl, Hedwig, is based on a snowy owl, Bubo scandiacus, a rarewinter visitor to Ohio.
- Page 1 and 2: OWLS OF OHIO c d g u i d e b o o kD
- Page 3 and 4: OWLS OF OHIO OWLS OF OHIO OWLS OF O
- Page 5: with both eyes simultaneously. Anot
- Page 9 and 10: Pelle t s an d W h ite wa s h findi
- Page 11 and 12: Ab o u t this Bookle t and CD owls
- Page 13 and 14: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 13O
- Page 15 and 16: y people placing nest boxes in barn
- Page 17 and 18: BTRACKS7-12arred owlStrix varia (St
- Page 19 and 20: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 19D
- Page 21 and 22: Eastern screech-owlMegascops asio (
- Page 23 and 24: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 23N
- Page 25 and 26: Great horned owlBubo virginianus (B
- Page 27 and 28: Normally solitary except during the
- Page 29 and 30: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 29T
- Page 31 and 32: O h i o S tat u s l o ng - e a re d
- Page 33 and 34: N e s ting long - e a re d o w lLon
- Page 35 and 36: Northern saw-whet owlAegolius acadi
- Page 37 and 38: likely. When one is found, a very c
- Page 39 and 40: Short-eared owlAsio flammeus (Ay-se
- Page 41 and 42: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 41H
- Page 43 and 44: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 43i
- Page 45 and 46: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 45O
- Page 47 and 48: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 47
- Page 49 and 50: Like the Northern hawk owl and grea
- Page 51 and 52: This is one of North America’s mo
- Page 53 and 54: This is the smallest owl in the wor
- Page 55 and 56: This small owl has a broad but spot
M o d i fi ed Fe ath er s owl morphology<strong>Owls</strong> are truly silent killers; they havespecialized feathers that greatly reduce soundcaused by air passing over the feathers. Theleading edge <strong>of</strong> the primary flight feathers arefimbriate; that is, they have comb-like extensionsalong the feather’s edge that greatly mufflesound, allowing the bird to better ambushprey.Long-earedowl flightfeathers.Photo by: ODNR Division <strong>of</strong> Wildlife / Jim McCormacBy Roman times, owls had fallen from favor – at least in Rome – andamong other things were accused <strong>of</strong> being transformed witches using theform <strong>of</strong> owls to suck the blood from infants.At least some Englanders <strong>of</strong> long ago viewed owls somewhat morefavorably – they thought that seeing an owl brought good luck. This is incontrast to some <strong>of</strong> their counterparts, who believed the best way to stave<strong>of</strong>f lightning strikes was to nail a barn owl to the barn door, a practice thatcontinued into the 19th century in some quarters.Bizarre examples <strong>of</strong> owl mythology abound around the globe. InCameroon, some believe owls to be so evil that they can’t be named,and they are known by the cumbersome “bird that makes you afraid.”Greenlanders take a much more hospitable view <strong>of</strong> owls, and regardthem as a source <strong>of</strong> helpful direction. <strong>Owls</strong> in Ireland would be wise tonot enter dwellings. A legend there has it that any owl entering a housemust be killed immediately, lest it depart and take the home’s good luckwith it. Fortunately, most owls are not very prone to entering abodes, savefor barn owls on occasion. In nearby Scotland, it is considered unlucky tosee an owl during the day. They must not have interviewed many birderswhen developing that superstition. In one <strong>of</strong> the strangest beliefs <strong>of</strong> all,Transylvanian farmers once attempted to frighten owls from their fieldsby walking their land while naked. Depending on the farmer, this strategymight work on nearly anything.Finally, owls have recently been thrust into the limelight in a majorway via the immensely popular Harry Potter series <strong>of</strong> books and movies.Collectively, J.K. Rowling’s six Potter books have sold well over 250million copies in over 200 countries, and have been translated into at least60 languages. <strong>Owls</strong> are prominent characters in these books; they serve aswinged messengers transporting mail, and are generally cast in a favorablelight. Harry’s owl, Hedwig, is based on a snowy owl, Bubo scandiacus, a rarewinter visitor to <strong>Ohio</strong>.
Change language