Most people consider everything that happens under the cover of night to be mysterious and mysterious. Animals and birds, leading a nocturnal lifestyle, were previously perceived as messengers of higher powers, and not always benevolent to humans. With owls, like with no other birds of our planet, many beliefs, legends, myths and signs are associated.
Not knowing exactly where and how they live, what the owl eats in the forest, people came up with the strangest versions that do not have real facts under them. Based on legends and fiction, different peoples formed a diametrically opposite attitude to owls; some worshiped them as deities and called winged cats, while others considered them the earthly embodiment of dark forces.
General biological characteristics of the species
Any of the representatives of owls belongs to the class of birds, the family of common and barn owls, included in the order of owls. Depending on the species, the weight of these birds can vary from 120 g to 4.5 kg, and their growth - from 20 cm in the sparrow owl to 65 cm in the white polar owl. The birds of this order are widespread in nature and live in almost all natural zones, where they live mostly nightlife. Owls live for about 12-18 years.
Appearance
In all representatives of owls, the appearance is quite similar and easy to remember because of such features as:
- large heads;
- large eyes surrounded by fan-shaped plumage;
- vertical landing "column";
- a wax-strewn dotted feather.
Species living in Russia
On the territory of our country live 17 species from the family of owls. Consider the most common of them, what they are, as well as where and how an owl lives, what it prefers to eat.
Owl
The largest of all owls - the eagle owl (Bubo bubo) - prefers to live in deep forests, and in the 20th century, as such places disappeared, its population decreased significantly. It is distinguished by large orange or yellow eyes, as well as characteristic “ears” of feathers. Often these birds are confused with eared owls, but the latter are significantly inferior to eagle owls in size. Hedgehogs, rodents, hares, small and medium birds - sparrows, ducks, capercaillie and black grouse - this is what owls of this species eat.
Polar (white) owl
It is also a rather large bird with plumage of predominantly white color with the inclusion of dark feathers, which allows masking well, with a round head and yellow eyes. It lives in the north of the European part of our country, in Siberia, but the largest number of these birds is recorded in the tundra. The main food of an owl of this species is lemmings, but it will not refuse partridges and hares. She simply swallows small prey, but crushes such uncomfortable food as hedgehogs with her beak.
Great Gray Owl
One of the largest owls, whose body length can reach 80 cm, and the wingspan is up to 1.5 m. A feature of these birds is a black wedge-shaped spot under the beak, on the chin, which gave the name to this species. Its natural habitat is the taiga forests of Siberia and the Urals, but due to the fact that it reproduces remarkably in nurseries, today it can also be found in the forests of central Russia. Various small rodents and small birds - this is what an owl eats in the forest.
Swamp owl
A medium-sized bird that lives in open spaces and hunts even in the afternoon. It is found on all continents, with the exception of Australia. You can meet her in the steppe regions, tundra, taiga. The main condition: there should be moist and swampy areas nearby. The diet of bog owls includes small rodents, birds, insects, small snakes and even fish.
Long-eared owl
The most common species in the forest and forest-steppe regions of North America and Eurasia. This is a fairly small bird, in size it is quite comparable to a pigeon, but due to its plumage it looks much larger. The feather cover is variegated, with a predominance of reddish-brown flowers. This species of owls got its name for rather long "ears", which consist of long feathers. It is quite simple to answer the question of where the eared owl lives and hunts, what it eats. In Russia, she lives almost everywhere where there are forests, and in city parks and squares it is quite possible to meet her. She prefers to hunt at night and preferably in the open. For hunting, she uses an additive - a tree, a fence or a pillar, sitting on which she tracks down her prey. If in this way no one can be hunted down, then the owl goes to fly around its hunting grounds. Different species of rodents are what owls of this species eat.
Hawk owl
As the name implies, this bird resembles a hawk, both in terms of plumage color, eye color, and flight style. It differs in its appearance from all other representatives of owls. Her head is small, and her eyes are not as large as other species of owls. The plumage of the hawk owl is stiff and fits snugly to the body. She lives both in the north of Europe and Asia, and in North America. Prefers tall and coniferous forests. This bird can live settled, but in case of unfavorable conditions for it, it can migrate. Its main diet is various rodents. Rats, shrews, lemmings, and field mice are what the owl eats in the forest. A hawk owl can attack and eat a variety of small birds, such as taproots, partridges, and black grouse.
Brown owl
The bird is medium in size, feathers of which are painted in brownish-brown color, and eyes are black. A feature of this species is a more flattened head than other owls, as well as a blurred outline of the facial disc. He prefers to live this species in the forest-steppe zone, but he is also happy to settle in human buildings. The house owl hunts for various small rodents.
Boreal owl
It belongs to small owls, its height does not exceed 20 cm. It lives in both coniferous and deciduous forests, preferring to go unnoticed. Shrews, mice, insects, and small birds are what the owl eats in the forest.
