What Big Eyes You Have

Owls are amazing birds with huge eyes, impressive round or heart-shaped faces and lots of feathers. There are two types of owls—barn owls and true owls—and most of the 200 owl species on Earth are true owls.

Barn owls are distinguished by their heart-shaped faces. They are found on every continent except Antarctica. These owls hunt at night over open land. Barn owls feed on voles, rats, mice, and other mammals. They have sharp hearing and downy feathers that conceal their approach to prey.

Burrowing owls are a species of owls that inhabit old ground squirrel or prairie dog burrows. They hunt at night and can fly or use their long legs to sprint and capture prey. They live in open fields and grasslands throughout Central and South America and North America. Owls in the northern parts migrate in the winter.

Eastern screech owls are small owls mostly active at night. They prey upon birds and small mammals as well as frogs, lizards, and tadpoles. These owls are true owls with great skills at camouflaging. Eastern screech owls are found in eastern North America from Canada to Mexico.

Eurasian eagle owls are found throughout Europe and Asia. They consume everything from small mammals to snakes and other reptiles. At times they might prey upon foxes or similarly sized birds and other owls. These owls inhabit forests, deserts, and mountains. Owl pairs mate for life, nesting in rock crevices and cave entrances.

Great gray owls make their homes in Europe, Asia, the northwestern US, Canada, and Alaska. They seek places free of human contact. These are among the tallest owls with fluffy feathers. Great gray owls are true owls identifiable by their facial disk, with gray stripes encircling two yellow eyes. They dine on birds, rodents, and insects.

Great horned owls are widespread throughout the Americas. These owls can thrive at elevations from sea level to more than 10,000 feet. These owls are strong predators, and as night hunters, their diet includes mammals, snakes, other birds, and owls. These true owl’s have distinctive hoots which are important since mated pairs defend their nesting area with loud and spirited hooting. 

Long-eared owls are found in North America, Europe, and Asia. These owls reside in the deserted nests of similar-sized birds. They feed on small mammals. Most of these owls form monogamous pairs.

Northern pygmy owls are small true owls that are native to western Canada, the US, Mexico, and Central America. These owls have a set of false eyes on the back of their heads to deceive prey. They have round white-spotted heads, weakly defined facial discs, and dark upper breasts, wings, and tails. Their eyes are yellow, and their bills are yellowish-green.  They are solitary and secretive birds; males regularly perch at the top of the tallest available conifer trees to issue their territorial call. Northern pygmy owls are carnivores and feed on a wide range of small prey. They hunt small mammals, birds, and large insects, and may take a variety of other vertebrates and invertebrates.

Oriental bay owls are nocturnal and found all throughout Southeast Asia. They inhabit dense evergreen forests near bodies of water. These are a subspecies of barn owls. Oriental bay owls roost in holes in trees and hunt for prey perched on tree branches hidden from view.

Snowy owls are true owls and among the largest owl species. They are mostly found in the Arctic tundra of North America, Europe, and Asia. These owls feed mostly on lemmings. Their nests are simple depressions in the snow shaped by the female owl’s body.

Speckled owls come from Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America. They prefer to inhabit dense, old-growth rainforests. These are small birds that are active at night seeking prey. They are known for their white markings around their yellow eyes, making it look like they’re wearing spectacles.

Tawny owls are true owls and call the Palearctic Region south to the Iberian Peninsula and east to China home. The inhabitants of forests, gardens, and cemeteries, tawny owls are the most common owls in England. They are nocturnal and feed on prey such as rodents, birds, insects, and amphibians. They make their presence known with loud screeching calls.