Overview:
International Owl Awareness Day was on Aug. 4, and unfortunately, many owl species are impacted by human practices, and non-profit organizations suggest that a third or more of native owl species are in decline. Owls have interesting adaptations, including silent flight, large eyes, and advanced hearing, which help them hunt at night.
I did not realize that this past Monday was International Owl Awareness Day. The purpose of International Owl Awareness Day (IOAD) is to raise awareness about these very special and much-loved nocturnal raptors every year on August 4.
Every time that this writer has mentioned owls in this column there has been feedback from readers, and it is always nice when someone stops me in Hannaford’s or the Corner Café to comment on something that I have written in the Sportsman’s Corner. Cultures around the world have always found owls to be fascinating creatures and their calls echoing from the dark always create a reaction.
Owls, unfortunately, are declining in numbers in many species and human practices often are detrimental. We often unintentionally harm our beloved owls. Two non-profit organizations, the American Bird Conservancy and Partners in Flight (PFI) both suggest that a third or more of our native owl species are in decline. Both encourage education as the best way to help in conserving and protecting these very special birds.
All owl species are nocturnal—that is, nighttime hunting birds of prey which typically have large heads, stocky bodies and short tails. Across the globe you will find over 200 species of owls, with 19 of those species in North America. Some species are widespread, and the barn owl has populations spanning several continents!
Owls have interesting adaptations to help them hunt at night. Their silent flight is due to the leading edge of their wing feathers having comb-like serrations to help them fly silently. Their eyes are unusually large for their head and more tube-shaped than round. That size and unique shape mean that they’re unable to move their eyes, but it also means that they’re better suited for seeing in the dark. Those specialized eyes make up approximately 3% of their body weight which makes them 10,000 times larger than human eyes in relation to body size!
Owl hearing is very advanced also. Humans and many mammals have fleshy cartilage to help funnel sound into our ears, but an owl’s head is shaped like a satellite dish to channel the sound, and a ring of rigid feathers surrounding their face magnifies this effect. Some species of owls have ears that are asymmetrical, meaning that one ear is higher than the other, which helps them locate the precise location of their prey.
As sight and hearing are so important to owls, evolution has provided another adaptation to help them hunt, which is their ability to rotate their heads. Owls can turn their heads close to 270 degrees left or right because they have twice the number of neck vertebrae as mammals.
Owls are opportunistic feeders and will eat prey including mammals, birds, insects, amphibians and reptiles. Some owls, including great-horned owls have been known to dine on skunks and even porcupines. Rodents are a staple for most owls, making them excellent natural pest control agents.
There are ways you can help owls. You can use natural deterrents or raptor-safe traps instead of poisons or sticky traps to control rodents. Rodenticides can kill raptors and other predators through secondary poisoning, and because of this, they actually increase rodent populations over time by eliminating their natural predators. Sticky traps are not only inhumane, but they often trap more than the target species.
Avoid littering! Throwing food out of your car window attracts rodents and other scavengers to the roadside, which in turn attracts their predators. Collisions with vehicles are a common threat that impacts owl populations for this reason.
When possible, leave dead trees untouched to preserve owl nesting spaces. Many owl species are cavity roosters and nesters, so these trees provide shelter and nesting sites for your local nocturnal neighbors. You can plant native plant species or mow less to provide owls with hunting territories. Native grasses and plants help sustain many species of local wildlife. The truth is that many grass species used in perfectly manicured lawns are invasive and provide little benefit to native fauna. If you have an abundance of land, consider leaving strategic spots unmowed or leaving brush piles to provide habitat for owls’ prey.
The reality is that these very beneficial predators are in decline with some listed as endangered, threatened or special concern. There is nothing better that the hearing “Who cooks for you!” the call of the barred owl, resonate from the woods!
Hopefully those checking antlerless deer permit status have gotten resolution from the challenges that having to go through Mass.gov has presented, and you have been able to access your permit information and hopefully were selected by the computer. It was my good fortune to receive one and hopefully it will result in some venison in the freezer! If you are struggling with MassFish Hunt I recommend you contact the Help Line. Everyone that I know has gotten good results there.
Mike Roche is a retired teacher who has been involved in conservation and wildlife issues his entire life. He has written the Sportsman’s Corner since 1984 and has served as advisor to the Mahar Fish’N Game Club, counselor and director of the Massachusetts Conservation Camp, former Connecticut Valley District representative on the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board, a Massachusetts Hunter Education Instructor and is a licensed New York hunting guide. He can be reached at mikeroche3@msn.com.