Henry David Thoreau summarized one perception of owls, when he wrote in 1854's Walden, "I rejoice that there are owls.
Owls in urban areas are also known to prey on new-born kittens (Gettys 2004).
The Romans, in addition to having borrowed the Greek associations of the owl, also considered owls to be funerary birds, due to their nocturnal activity and often having their nests in inaccessible places.
Owls have at least two adaptations that aid them in achieving stealth.
Some fish-eating owls, where this silence is of no hunting advantage, lack this adaptation.
Sometimes owls are seen as divine messengers of the gods, while barn or horned owls are perceived as demonic figures.
Adult saw-whet owls (Aegolius acadicus) reach only about 18 centimeters (7.1 inches) long with a 43 centimeter (16.9 inches) wingspan.
Owls do not construct nests but rather look for a sheltered nesting site or an abandoned nest, in trees, underground burrows, or in buildings, barns, and caves.
Scientists studying the diets of owls are helped by their habit of regurgitating the indigestible parts of their prey (such as bones, scales, and fur) in the form of pellets.
Owls have been a feature of falconry for years.
Elf owls and burrowing owls also lack the feathers for silent flying.
Some of the pygmy owls of the Old World are scarcely larger.
A few owls are also active during the day; examples are the burrowing owl (Speotyto cunicularia) and the short-eared owl (Asio flammeus).
Among the Kikuyu of Kenya it was believed that owls were harbingers of death.
The demoness Lilith is thought to have been associated with (screech) owls as well, by way of the King James Version (KJV) translation of the passage in Isaiah 34:14.
Owls are far-sighted, and are unable to see anything clearly within a few inches of their eyes.
Most owls are nocturnal, actively hunting for prey only under the cover of darkness.
The Popol Vuh, a Mayan religious text, describes owls as messengers of Xibalba (the Mayan "Place of Fright") (Meta Religion 2007).
Owls have large forward-facing eyes and ear-holes, a hawk-like beak, a flat face, and usually a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk.
Prior to the rise of Islam, owls were considered bad omens and associated with evil spirits in most Middle Eastern pagan traditions.
The eyes of an owl are not true “eyeballs.” Their tube-shaped eyes are completely immobile, providing binocular vision which fully focuses on their prey and boosts depth perception. Owls can rotate their necks 270 degrees. ... A group of owls is called a parliament.Oct 15, 2015
Among the Kikuyu of Kenya, it was believed that owls were harbingers of death. If one saw an owl or heard its hoot, someone was going to die. In general, owls are viewed as harbingers of bad luck, ill health, or death. The belief is widespread even today.