birds4kids.blogspot.com : Owl

 NATURAL WORLD : BIRDS

OWL

A wise old owl sat in an oak  

The more he saw the less he spoke

The less he spoke the more he heard

Why can't we all be like that wise old bird?

Large round eyes staring back at you steadily!  It sits motionless for hours along with  other owl without making a single sound which is why people call it wise and thoughtful. A group of owls sitting up straight on a branch as if in a meeting. Unlike other birds they make no sound or flap about. A parliament of owls is how the collective noun for them is used.

In fact silence is their weapon. It is a silent flier and swoops down on a fast moving prey. Its large wings help it to glide smoothly so that the wings do not have to flap noisily while flying. Sharp talons and a curved beak make it a deadly predator. It can lock its toes around an object to hold it tight and lift its prey high in the air where the animal - snake or rat is helpless and cannot escape.

Amazing organs

Their eyeballs are fixed and don't move like ours do. That's why they can turn their heads  around and look at objects behind them.  The tissue and bones in their neck are flexible enough for that. Their night vision is excellent and they can look at small objects on the ground from high up. Another amazing fact is that it has two ears of different sizes on top of its head. Barn owls have flat round faces like a satellite dish.  It helps them to focus the sound directly on their ears, especially when they cock their heads to listen. They can hear about 10 times better than humans.

Owls live in every continent except Antarctica. But they don't build nests. Instead, they live in tree holes, cavities between rocks, empty barns and building and also in empty holes in the ground. Abandoned nests of other birds are also great favourites. The nest is lined with bark, leaves, animal fur, feathers and twigs. 

Building a family

Once a female is ready to lay, she settles in comfortably and lays two to three eggs a few days apart. She incubates them for 33 days rarely leaving the nest. After a busy hunting day the males return home and perches nearby resting and watching over the eggs. The female owl incubates the eggs by pressing her bare belly softly on them while keeping her head down to keep them warm. Baby owls are called owlets and they are born with soft downy feathers and their eyes are closed. Within two weeks, new thicker feathers begin to grow to keep them warm. Parents feed their young until they are about two months old after which they are old enough to hunt for themselves.

Owls sometimes store their food in tree holes, behind rocks or under thick grass. If the prey is small like a mouse or insect, they swallow it whole. Since they are on top of the food chain and are carnivorous, they have few predators. Larger horned owls even hunt animals like rabbits and lambs which are almost the same size as themselves.

Let's talk about them...

OWLS

1. Owls are birds of prey with grey -brown feathers.

2. They have large saucer shaped eyes.

3. Sharp beaks and talons help them to hunt.

4. They have very sharp eyes and ears.

5. Baby owls or Owlets are born blind 

Public Speaking

Note for educators and parents : Describe and explain with the help of information given on this page. Help the child memorize these lines and speak in front of a camera with actions.  Young Learners may post their videos and comments here.

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