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OWLS. Our Feathered Mousetraps. Great Horned Owl. Feather tufts Yellow eyes “Tiger of the Treetops”. Aggressive 20 inches tall 5 foot wingspan Conifer woods. Defensive posture Stay away!. Great Horned owlets. On the menu:. On the menu:. On the menu:. On the menu:.
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OWLS Our FeatheredMousetraps
Great Horned Owl • Feather tufts • Yellow eyes • “Tiger of the Treetops”
Aggressive • 20 inches tall • 5 foot wingspan • Conifer woods
Defensive posture • Stay away!
Barred Owl • Quiet nature • Brown eyes • “Teddy Bear of the air”
Bars or stripes • Camouflage • 18 inches tall • Woods near rivers, ponds, or lakes
On the menu: • Frogs • Fish • Crayfish • Small mammals • Songbirds
Owl Pellets • Regurgitated 8 to 16 hours later • Contains fur, feathers, and bones
Eastern Screech Owl • Aggressive • 8 inches tall • “Wild cat of the air”
Two colors • Gray-brown or red • Found in small woodlots & orchards
On the menu: • Large insects • Mice • Small songbirds • Reptiles • Amphibians
Iowa’s Endangered Species • Barn Owl • Once common • Monkey-like face • DNR reintroduction attempted
Owl Visitors to Iowa • Burrowing Owls • Common in western Plains states • Visits NW Iowa • Nests underground
Owl Visitors to Iowa • Long-eared Owl • Long feather tufts • Smaller than Great Horned Owl • Found in Minnesota and Canada
Owl Visitors to Iowa • Short-eared Owl • Short feather tufts • Often seen in daylight • Found near fields, prairies, and marshes
Owl Visitors to Iowa • Saw-whet Owl • Smaller than Screech • Found in coniferous North woods
Owl Visitors to Iowa • Snowy Owl • Found in Arctic • Ventures south for food in winter • Larger than Great Horned Owl
Owl Visitors to Iowa • What is it? • Large white bird • Feather tufts present • Rare arctic phase of Great Horned Owl spotted in Marshall County
Adaptations • Excellent eyesight • Large eyes set in facial disk • Can see 10 times better at night • Sometimes 100 times better!
Adaptations • Excellent hearing • Two slits on each side of head • Handy feature on moonless nights
Adaptations • Hawks have scale-covered legs • Owls have feather-covered legs • Feathers help to muffle sound
Adaptations • Snowy Owl feet have an abundance of feathers • Great leg warmers for cold arctic nights!
Adaptations • Close-up of outer primary flight feathers • Comb-like serrations • Creates silent flight
Predator: Friend or Foe? • Historically, predators were persecuted • Today, owls and hawks are protected • Predators have an important role controlling prey populations