HAPPY OCTOBER, IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT OWLS
AGAIN....
AS BIRDS OF THE NIGHT, OWLS HAVE OFTEN BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH MONSTERS,
WITCHES, AND THE COMING OF DEATH IN MANY NATIVE CULTURES OF NORTH AMERICA.
ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES THE CALL OF AN OWL MIGHT BE AN OMEN OF ILL FORTUNE, OWLS WERE
NOT ALWAYS SEEN AS BEARERS OF BAD TIDINGS. THE SCREECH OWL OFTEN NESTED CLOSE TO
THE EDGE OF AN INDIAN VILLAGE, GIVING A DISTINCTIVE CALL WHEN SOMEONE DISTURBED
IT LATE AT NIGHT. THE OWL WAS KNOWN AS THE VILLAGE GUARDIAN-ONE WHO GIVES
WARNING AGAINST DANGEROUS INTRUDERS.
PERHAPS OWLS ARE POPULAR IN STORIES BECAUSE THEY LOOK LIKE SMALL
HUMANS.OWLS STAND UPRIGHT. THEIR SLANTING BEAKS LOOK ALMOST LIKE HUMAN NOSES.
OWLS STARE WITH HUGE, UNBLINKING EYES. THEY MAY APPEAR WISE OR STUDIOUS. THE
TRUTH IS ,OWLS ARE NO MORE OR LESS WISE THAN ANY OTHER BIRDS. THEY ARE JUST
SKILLFUL HUNTERS WITH SPECIAL TOOLS, INCLUDING AMAZING EYES.
MOST OWLS HUNT AT NIGHT. THE WAY THEY SKIM MEADOWS OR SWOOP THROUGH
FORESTS ON SILENT WINGS ADDS TO THEIR AURA OF MYSTERY. OFTEN, THE ONLY CLUE OF
AN OWL'S PRESENCE IS A SPINE-CHILING SHRIEK OR A GHOSTLY WHOO-WHOO-WHOO OWLS
CALL TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER OWLS. THEY DO NOT BRING NEWS OF ANY KIND TO
PEOPLE- EXCEPT THE GOOD NEWS THAT AN OWL LIVES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEIR ARE OVER 150 SPECIES OF OWLS WORLDWIDE. NINETEEN SPECIES LIVE IN
NORTH AMERICA.OWLS IN OUR AREA NEAR OLD TOWN SPRING ARE THE GREAT HORNED OWL,
THE BARN OWL, AND THE EASTERN SCREECH OWL.
OWLS ARE MEAT-EATERS. THEY FEED ON ANIMALS THAT FEED ON OTHER ANIMAL OR
PLANTS. LARGE OWLS TEND TO HUNT LARGE PREY. GREAT HORNED OWLS EAT PRACTICALLY
ANYTHING MEATY THEY CAN CATCH, FROM RABBITS AND SKUNKS TO INSECTS AND OTHER
OWLS. SOME OWLS HUNT SMALL PREY, SUCH AS INSECTS, SPIDERS, AND SCORPIONS. OTHER
SMALL BUT FIERCE OWLS CATCH BIRDS, REPTILES, AND MAMMALS ALMOST AS LARGE AS
THEMSELVES.
ENJOY OUR FALL AND I HOPE YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HEAR OR SEE OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD OWLS.
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