Owl Talk

A Barn Owl

This blog post is inspired by both Owl Talk (our factual song about owls) and my own somewhat freaky fascination with owl pellets.  

Extraordinary adaptations of vision (similar to the night vision of a cat), hearing (acute enough to pick up a mouse's footstep under the snow), and silent flight, make owls an especially interesting topic for classroom study.

A few summers ago, while doing research for our song, Ted and I spent some time observing and learning about Barn Owls.  A Barn Owl (as shown in the photo to the left) has a scream-like call and often nests in abandoned buildings, church towers, and barns.  

During our time with the owls, we learned how their dish-shaped faces help them to pin-point the direction from which a sound is coming.  We also learned a bit about the legends and myths that surround the owl.  We've all heard of the saying, "Wise old owl, " which comes from the owl's large round eyes that make it look so wise.  Apparently, in addition to looking wise, its mysterious nocturnal habits caused even the ancient Athenians to regard the owl as an astonishing creature.  They chose the owl as a companion for their patron, Athena, the goddess of wisdom. 

From reading stories about owls and their powers to actually observing these amazing creatures, one of my favorite experiences was dissecting an owl pellet and labeling what I found inside.  From this hands-on activity, I learned that owls usually swallow their prey whole, sometimes eating creatures almost as large as themselves.  They digest the edible parts, and the rest—bones, fur, and teeth is compressed by the owl's stomach into a pellet, which the owl then regurgitates.

Although Ted was not quite as excited about dissecting owl barf, I know that most kids are!  This is why I was completely thrilled when I found the Kid Wings website which invites kids (and adults like me) to virtually dissect owl pellets.  How exciting!! The latest version of this site makes pulling apart and sorting the pellet simple, educational, and fun. Interactive instructional pieces along with teacher resources make this site a terrific addition to any lesson on animal adaptations and owls.


Snowy Owls

Snowy Owls: Photo taken at Zoo America in Hershey, PA

According to National Geographic, "These magnificent owls sometimes remain year-round in their northern breeding grounds, but they are frequent migrants to Canada, the northern United States, Europe, and Asia."

 

Do you know of another good site,  book, or song with interesting information about owls? We'd love to hear from you!  Please, leave a comment below!