Overly Outstanding Owls

Anyone who knew me before my internship at World Bird Sanctuary knows that I absolutely love owls.  Anyone who met or spoke to me after the start of my internship knows that my all time favorite bird is Tigger, the Tawny Owl.

Many people love owls because they are adorable, which is completely true.  However, they are also amazing creatures!  For example, owls can turn their heads 270 degrees around.  This  enables them to look over their right shoulder, completely behind them, and then over their left shoulder in the same glance! 

Most owl species have fringing on their outer wing feathers, which muffles air flowing over their wings and gives them silent flight.  This makes it much easier to sneak up on their prey. 

Cupid the Barn Owl steals everyone's heart

One truly remarkable owl species is the Barn Owl.  You can find videos of these amazing birds online that demonstrate just how incredible these birds really are.  One such video that I found demonstrates just how incredible a Barn Owl's sense of hearing truly is.  The one in the video is trained that a certain sound leads to food and is trained to find the source of the sound.  You can see that the sound device is placed in an area of tall grass where it is not visible. As soon as the sound is made the owl flies directly to the source. In slow motion, you can see the owl's head is completely locked right on target the entire time. These birds are some of the best hunters I have ever seen. 

Peabody the Tawny Owl waiting for his cue to fly onstage (photo: Mike Cerutti)

Many people, myself included, love Tawny Owls because they are so adorable.  However, these birds are considered a prey species.  Tawny Owls share habitat with the second largest owl species, the Eurasian Eagle Owl.  Because of this, Tawny Owls are known to be quite aggressive.  These birds will chase larger birds and animals from their territory. People who have hobbies like bird watching and wildlife photography will actually avoid Tawny Owl territory during breeding season.  These owls have been known to fly after people, as well as other predators, to flush them out of the Tawny Owl territory.

I have been able to witness some of these adaptations this summer while working at WBS’s Stone Zoo bird show in Boston.  We have two great owls with us--Cupid, the Barn Owl, and Peabody, the Tawny Owl. 

Don't let Tigger's sleepy demeanor fool you--Tawny Owls can be fierce

There are many more amazing adaptations and traits of owls that I enjoy learning about every day that I work with these birds.

If you live in or are visiting the Boston area this summer, be sure to schedule a visit to Stone Zoo—and in particular, the bird show.  I think you will agree with me that these beautiful creatures are amazing!

Submitted by Jamie Cobetto, World Bird Sanctuary Stone Zoo Birds of Prey Show Trainer/Naturalist

(photo: Flannery O'brien)

Adopt A Bird Spotlight: Tigger (Tawny Owl)

Tigger's Story

Species:  Tawny Owl

Hatched:  1992

Tigger was sent to the World Bird Sanctuary from another center in 1992.  He had been injured as a young chick and was unreleasable.  Tigger loves mice and venison, and is known to call in public, even during the day.  

This medium sized round owl (just over one foot tall) is native to Britain and much of Europe.  They live in woods and open areas with large trees for perching.  With the loss of much of their rural habitat, tawny owls are moving into cities and suburbs.  Their hunting techniques seem to be changing with their new environment, and it is hoped that these adaptations will allow them to survive where other species have failed.  Even though Tigger is considered sweet and easy going by his handlers, his species as a whole can also be fierce little hunters.

Tigger can often be seen in the education portion of our Owl Prowl programs, where he frequently exhibits his willingness to hoot in public.

To adopt Tigger, simply click our donation button, make a donation of $75, and specify in your payment notes:  Adopt-a-Bird: TIGGER.  Also include your name, phone number, and mailing address so that we can send your adoption materials!

Every donation helps to feed, house, and provide medical care for the bird of your choice!  Adopt-A-Bird Parents receive:

* A personal visit with the bird you adopt!!!!!  Call 636-861-3225 to set up a time for your 

personal visit.

* Certificate of Adoption

* Color photo of the bird you've adopted

* Sponsorship Card

* One year's subscription to Mews News (our quarterly newsletter)

* Life History and Natural History of the bird

* 10% Discount off WBS merchandise

* Invitation to Sponsors-only events like Camera Day

* Discounts on WBS Special Events

* WBS Decal

Natural History

tawny owl

Strix aluco

Description:  plumage is chestnut brown, heavily mottled with grey, brown and black streaks; face is round with deep-set black eyes; plumage pattern gives this bird a blocky, thick-set look; like the American Barred Owl to which it is related, it lacks ear tufts

Sex:  male and female similar in appearance; females slight larger than males

Length:  12-15"

Wingspan:  36-42"

Weight:  14-20 oz.

Habitat:  mostly woodlands, parks, and recently, urban areas

Status:  most common and widespread owl in Europe

Range:  with the exception of Ireland, distributed across Europe from Britain to Scandinavia; into North Africa; North and West Asia

Behavior:  territorial owls that use the same range through their lives; almost exclusively nocturnal, it hunts by swooping down on it's prey from a perch from which it may locate it's prey with it's keen hearing; males and females bond for life; the female lays 2-4 eggs in March or early April, in a hole in a tree or an abandoned nest; the female incubates the young while the male hunts, and feeds the brood for about 21 days; then both parents feed the chicks; the young owlets leave the nest at 32-37 days and scramble around on nearby branches (at this point they are known as "branchers"); by 2 months old they are flying and beginning to hunt for themselves; by 3 months they are independent and begin to disperse

Diet:  small mammals and rodents, small birds, frogs, fish, insects and worms

Vocalization:  the normal call is a duet:  the female calls "To-whit", to which the male replies "To-woo"; another call heard primarily in the fall is a loud "kee-wick"

• This owl is so popular in Great Britain that it makes an appearance in many pieces of English literature, including "Winnie the Pooh" and the "Harry Potter" books