Julia Karkheck Ross
Owls
There are around 220 different species of owls all over the world.. 19 of them are located in North America. Owls have superior hearing because they have different sized ears on either sides of their heads at different heights so they can hear better. Owls can not move their eyes, they have to completely turn their heads to see. Their heads can turn 270 degrees, they can not turn their heads completely around. An owl has three eyelids. One is for blinking, one is for sleeping, and one is for keeping the eye clean and healthy.
A barn owl eats around 1000 mice a year. Some farmers try to attract barn owls so that the rodent problem can be kept to a minimum. Owls normally eat rodents, some small mammals, nocturnal insects, fish and birds. After they digest their food, they regurgitate everything that did not get digested. Such as bones, fur, teeth and feathers. Scientists study these pellets to learn about the owl's diet.
Owls make various types of noises such as hoots, screeches, whistles, barks, growls, rattles and hissses. Owl calls can be heard from up to a mile away!
