More specific nesting-related questions
Debunking Owl Myths
Myth: Owls are bad luck/Owls are omens of death.
Reality: Owls are no more bad luck than black cats, broken mirrors, or spilled salt. In many cultures, owls are seen as bad luck or omens of death and are feared, avoided or killed because of it.
Reality: Owls are no more bad luck than black cats, broken mirrors, or spilled salt. In many cultures, owls are seen as bad luck or omens of death and are feared, avoided or killed because of it.
Myth: Owls are messengers of witches.
Reality: Owls usually want nothing to do with humans. They don't deliver letters like in Harry Potter.
Reality: Owls usually want nothing to do with humans. They don't deliver letters like in Harry Potter.
Myth: Owls are wise.
Reality: Owls are often seen as wise due to their large eyes, resolute posture and relative silence. Owls are good at doing what they need to do to survive in the wild, but they are quite slow and often stubborn when it comes to trying to train them to do things in captivity.
Reality: Owls are often seen as wise due to their large eyes, resolute posture and relative silence. Owls are good at doing what they need to do to survive in the wild, but they are quite slow and often stubborn when it comes to trying to train them to do things in captivity.
Myth: If you touch a baby owl, the mother will abandon it.
Reality: Many people believe that if they touch a baby owl, the mother will reject it. This is untrue for the vast majority of animal species, including owls. Owl parents just want their baby back to take care of it. That being said, only touch young owls if necessary for health or safety reasons.
Reality: Many people believe that if they touch a baby owl, the mother will reject it. This is untrue for the vast majority of animal species, including owls. Owl parents just want their baby back to take care of it. That being said, only touch young owls if necessary for health or safety reasons.
Myth: An owl could carry off and eat a baby.
Reality: This would be virtually impossible. Human babies don't look or act like owl prey, and they are too heavy to pick up and carry off. Even a Great Horned Owl, widely thought of as the one of the most powerful owls in North America, can't carry prey that weighs more than 3-5 pounds. That said, keep a close eye on your cats and very small dogs.
Reality: This would be virtually impossible. Human babies don't look or act like owl prey, and they are too heavy to pick up and carry off. Even a Great Horned Owl, widely thought of as the one of the most powerful owls in North America, can't carry prey that weighs more than 3-5 pounds. That said, keep a close eye on your cats and very small dogs.
Myth: Owls have exceptional eyesight so if you eat their eggs or eyes you gain better vision.
Reality: Many people believe animal parts have medicinal qualities, but eating the eyes or eggs of an owl won't make your vision any better.
Reality: Many people believe animal parts have medicinal qualities, but eating the eyes or eggs of an owl won't make your vision any better.
Myth: Owls are guardians of the night, so they hoot to ward off evil.
Reality: Owls hoot to communicate with other owls. See this page to learn about all kinds of owl noises.
Reality: Owls hoot to communicate with other owls. See this page to learn about all kinds of owl noises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can owls turn their heads all the way around?
A: That depends on species and starting point. See the full answer in our blog.
A: That depends on species and starting point. See the full answer in our blog.
Q: Are all owls nocturnal?
A: A large proportion of owls are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night, but not all are. A few owls are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day, and some others are crepuscular, meaning they are active at dawn and dusk. Active times do not mean that the owl sleeps the rest of the time; owls tend to be alert but take naps here and there when they are not active.
A: A large proportion of owls are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night, but not all are. A few owls are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day, and some others are crepuscular, meaning they are active at dawn and dusk. Active times do not mean that the owl sleeps the rest of the time; owls tend to be alert but take naps here and there when they are not active.
Q: Do owls have silent flight?
A: Noisiness of owl flight varies considerably based on species, and based on the type of flight. Flapping makes more noise than gliding, and some owls are more quiet than others. Species that rely on their hearing to hunt tend to make much less noise than species that hunt more by sight. Some owl species even hunt fish, which can't hear the owls coming anyway, so those owls aren't silent at all!
A: Noisiness of owl flight varies considerably based on species, and based on the type of flight. Flapping makes more noise than gliding, and some owls are more quiet than others. Species that rely on their hearing to hunt tend to make much less noise than species that hunt more by sight. Some owl species even hunt fish, which can't hear the owls coming anyway, so those owls aren't silent at all!
Q: Do owls have three toes or four?
A: Owls have four toes on each foot, but one of the toes is reversible and can face backward or forward. When the foot is in use, like when the owl is capturing prey or holding onto a perch, the outer toe is rotated to the back. When the foot is at rest, like when the owl is flying or a foot is tucked up or the owl is dead, the outer toe is rotated to the front. Many classical drawings of owls were taken from dead specimens, which may explain why these pieces incorrectly show owls with three toes in the front when perching.
A: Owls have four toes on each foot, but one of the toes is reversible and can face backward or forward. When the foot is in use, like when the owl is capturing prey or holding onto a perch, the outer toe is rotated to the back. When the foot is at rest, like when the owl is flying or a foot is tucked up or the owl is dead, the outer toe is rotated to the front. Many classical drawings of owls were taken from dead specimens, which may explain why these pieces incorrectly show owls with three toes in the front when perching.
Q: How many owl species are there in the world?
A: This is another topic of debate. Depending on who you talk to, there are between 230 and 250 owl species (or more) around the world. Click here to go to The Owl Pages and learn about all kinds of owl species.
A: This is another topic of debate. Depending on who you talk to, there are between 230 and 250 owl species (or more) around the world. Click here to go to The Owl Pages and learn about all kinds of owl species.
Q: What species are found in North America?
A: We have 19 or 20 owl species in North America. Click here to go to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and learn about North American owls.
A: We have 19 or 20 owl species in North America. Click here to go to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and learn about North American owls.
Q: I found an owl feather. Can I keep it?
A: If you live in North America, it is illegal to possess feathers from any native bird, including owls, except for educational facilities that have special permits to keep them. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects all birds native to North America, including their feathers, eggs and nests. The reason feathers are protected is because it's impossible to tell, by looking at a feather, whether it was picked up off the ground or if it was plucked from a bird that was killed specifically for its feathers. Just imagine if someone decided that Great Horned Owl feathers made great fishing lures!
A: If you live in North America, it is illegal to possess feathers from any native bird, including owls, except for educational facilities that have special permits to keep them. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects all birds native to North America, including their feathers, eggs and nests. The reason feathers are protected is because it's impossible to tell, by looking at a feather, whether it was picked up off the ground or if it was plucked from a bird that was killed specifically for its feathers. Just imagine if someone decided that Great Horned Owl feathers made great fishing lures!
Q: Can owls smell?
A: This question often comes up regarding food items left out at the nest on our cam. Owls don't seem to be bothered by what we think of as bad smells, such as skunk or bad meat (some owls actually eat skunks!). However, taste and smell are linked, and our owls show distinct preferences for certain food items over others, so there is no definitive answer for this question.
A: This question often comes up regarding food items left out at the nest on our cam. Owls don't seem to be bothered by what we think of as bad smells, such as skunk or bad meat (some owls actually eat skunks!). However, taste and smell are linked, and our owls show distinct preferences for certain food items over others, so there is no definitive answer for this question.
Q: Can an owl move its eyes?
A: Owls have very restricted mobility in their eyes due to their large size and tubular shape. The eyes can rotate about one degree, which means they are essentially immobile in the owl's skull. An owl couldn't roll its eyes even if it wanted to!
A: Owls have very restricted mobility in their eyes due to their large size and tubular shape. The eyes can rotate about one degree, which means they are essentially immobile in the owl's skull. An owl couldn't roll its eyes even if it wanted to!
Q: Why do owls bob their heads?
A: Because owl eyes don't really move in their sockets, an owl bobs its head around to get a better three-dimensional picture of what it sees. This looks really silly but it serves the important purpose of telling the owl how far it is from an object and what's in the way.
A: Because owl eyes don't really move in their sockets, an owl bobs its head around to get a better three-dimensional picture of what it sees. This looks really silly but it serves the important purpose of telling the owl how far it is from an object and what's in the way.
More specific nesting-related questions
Q: Do male Great Horned Owls share in egg incubation duties?
A: In many raptors, male and female birds share nest duties. In owls, however, the female does all the incubating and the male does all the hunting to provide food for his mate and babies once they hatch. Our male, Rusty, would love to be Mr. Mom and we've seen him standing over the eggs in the nest occasionally when Iris takes a break, but he's not incubating. Male owls do not develop the brood patch necessary to warm the eggs.
A: In many raptors, male and female birds share nest duties. In owls, however, the female does all the incubating and the male does all the hunting to provide food for his mate and babies once they hatch. Our male, Rusty, would love to be Mr. Mom and we've seen him standing over the eggs in the nest occasionally when Iris takes a break, but he's not incubating. Male owls do not develop the brood patch necessary to warm the eggs.
Q: The owlets have left the nest. Why can't they fly?
A: Owlets tend to leave the nest before they can fly well and often spend up to a week on the ground or on nearby branches before they're capable of flying well. "Branching" is the term for the stage when they move away from the nest onto adjacent branches, followed shortly by "fledging," when they are learning to fly. Branchers sometimes fall to the ground a little prematurely. Don't worry, Mom and Dad still take care of their kids on the ground, and owlets can actually climb trees using their beaks and talons. You can help keep owlets on the ground safe by keeping cats and dogs indoors during this vulnerable time.
A: Owlets tend to leave the nest before they can fly well and often spend up to a week on the ground or on nearby branches before they're capable of flying well. "Branching" is the term for the stage when they move away from the nest onto adjacent branches, followed shortly by "fledging," when they are learning to fly. Branchers sometimes fall to the ground a little prematurely. Don't worry, Mom and Dad still take care of their kids on the ground, and owlets can actually climb trees using their beaks and talons. You can help keep owlets on the ground safe by keeping cats and dogs indoors during this vulnerable time.
If you have more specific questions about Great Horned Owls, check out the Great Horned Owl Facts page, or ask a moderator on our live cams.
