Owls are generally creatures of the night. They were thought to have supernatural powers and often appear in stories with ghosts and goblins. They have a long life span with some birds in captivity living thirty years. However, they are actually just unusually adapted to their nocturnal lifestyle with exceptional eyesight and hearing. Some are known as the Farmer’s Friend because they eat rodents, which destroy our crops.

Owls are easy to recognize, but hard to find as they blend into their surroundings and are seen mostly after dark. Just look for a round face, big eyes, and a sharp hooked beak. The face is almost completely covered by two large discs, called facial discs. Many owls have tufts of feathers sticking up on their heads, called ear tufts. These are not ears.

Male and female owls of the same species look the same but females are usually larger. Baby owls, known as chicks, don’t look like Mom and Dad until they get their adult feathers at about six months. The Spectacled Owl doesn’t get its dark body plumage until its five years old!

Mother Owl will give her chick’s constant care for about three months. She feeds them, protects them from danger, and teaches them to hunt and fly. Chicks often leave the next before they can fly and will be seen hopping around on the ground. Don’t touch them; they usually get to a safe place by themselves.