Psychology Wiki


34,189pages on
this wiki
Revision as of 22:54, March 8, 2013 by AWeidman (Talk | contribs)



The rare Northern Spotted OwlStrix occidentalis caurina
The rare Northern Spotted Owl
Strix occidentalis caurina
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Subclass: Neornithes
Infraclass: Neognathae
Superorder: Neoaves
Order: Strigiformes
Wagler, 1830

Ogygoptyngidae (fossil)
Palaeoglaucidae (fossil)
Protostrigidae (fossil)
Sophiornithidae (fossil)


Strigidae sensu Sibley & Ahlquist




File:Eagle Owl IMG 9203.JPG


The smallest owl is the Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi), at as little as 31 g (1.1 oz) and 13.5 cm (5.3 inches). Some of the pygmy owls are scarcely larger. The largest owls are the two of the eagle owls, the Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) and Blakiston's Fish Owl (Bubo blakistoni), which may reach a size of 204 cm (80.3 in) long, have a wingspan of almost 2 m (6.6 ft), and weigh of nearly 4.5 kg (10 lb).



Owls are far-sighted, and are unable to clearly see anything within a few inches of their eyes. Their far vision, particularly in low light, is exceptionally good, and they can turn their head 135 degrees in either direction; they can thus look behind their own shoulders. It is correct, however, that some can turn the head so far as to face completely backwards.


Different species of owls make different sounds; the wide range of calls aids owl species in finding mates or announcing their presence to potential competitors, and ornithologists and birders in locating these birds and recognizing species. The facial disc helps to funnel the sound of prey to their ears. In many species, these are placed asymmetrically, for better directional location (Norberg, 1977).

Main article: Owls - auditory localization]





Much of the owl's hunting strategy depends on stealth and surprise. Owls have at least two adaptations that aid them in achieving stealth. First, the dull coloration of an owl's feathers can render them almost invisible under certain conditions. Secondly, serrated edges on the leading edge of the owl's remiges, muffle the owl's wingbeats and allowing its flight to be practically silent. Some fish-eating owls, where this silence is of no evolutionary advantage, lack this adaptation. Elf owls also lack the feathers for silent flying.

Once prey has been captured, the owl's sharp beak and powerful talons, or clawed feet allow it to tear the food to pieces before eating, even though most items are swallowed whole. Scientists studying the diets of owls are helped by their habit of regurgitating the indigestible parts of their prey (bones, scales, fur, etc.) in the form of pellets. These "owl pellets" are often sold by companies to schools to be dissected by students as a lesson in biology and ecology, because they are plentiful and easy to interpret.


Owl eggs are usually white and almost spherical, and range in number from a few to a dozen, depending on species. The eggs are laid in intervals of 1-3 days and do not hatch at the same time. This accounts for the wide variation in the size of sibling nestlings. Owls do not construct nests but rather look for a sheltered nesting site, in trees, underground burrows, or in buildings, barns and caves.

Evolution and systematics

The systematic placement of owls is disputed. For example, the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy finds that, based on DNA-DNA hybridization, owls are more closely related to the nightjars and their allies (Caprimulgiformes) than to the diurnal predators in the order Falconiformes; consequently, the Caprimulgiformes are placed in the Strigidae and the owls in general become a family Strigidae. This is not supported by more recent research[1]. In any case, the relationships of the Caprimulgiformes, the owls, the falcons and the accipitrid raptors are not resolved to satisfaction; currently there is an increasing trend to consider each group (with the possible exception of the accipitrids) a distinct order.

There are some 220-225 extant species of owls, which are subdivided into two families; typical owls (Strigidae) and barn-owls (Tytonidae). Some entirely extinct families have also been erected based on fossil remains; these differ much from modern owls in being less specialized or specialized in a very different way (such as the terrestrial Sophiornithidae). The Paleocene genera Berruornis and Ogygoptynx show that owls were present as a distinct lineage some 60-58 mya (million years ago) already, and presumably also some 5 million years earlier at the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs. This makes them one of the oldest known groups of non-Galloanserae landbirds. The supposed "Cretaceous owls" Bradycneme and Heptasteornis are apparently non-avian dinosaurs[2].



The supposed fossil herons "Ardea" perplexa (Middle Miocene of Sansan, France) and "Ardea" lignitum (Late Pliocene of Germany) were more probably owls; the latter was apparently close to the modern genus Bubo. Judging from this, the Late Miocene remains from France described as "Ardea" aureliensis should also be restudied[3]. The Messelasturidae, some of which were initially believed to be basal Strigiformes, are now generally accepted to be diurnal birds of prey showing some convergent evolution towards owls. The taxa often united under Strigogyps[4] were formerly placed in part with the owls, specifically the Sophiornithidae; they appear to be Ameghinornithidae instead[5].


Unresolved and basal forms (all fossil)

  • Palaeoglaux (Middle - Late Eocene of WC Europe) - own family Palaeoglaucidae or Strigidae?
  • Strigiformes gen. et spp. indet. (Early Oligocene of Wyoming, USA)[6]
  • Intutula (Early/Middle -? Late Miocene of C Europe) - includes "Strix/Ninox" brevis
  • Alasio (Middle Miocene of Vieux-Collonges, France)


  • Ogygoptynx (Middle/Late Paleocene of Colorado, USA)


  • Minerva (Middle - Late Eocene of W USA) - formerly Protostrix, includes "Aquila" ferox, "Aquila" lydekkeri, and "Bubo" leptosteus
  • Oligostrix (mid-Oligocene of Saxony, Germany)


Strigidae: Typical owls

File:Strix aluco Pfahlhaltung 1.jpg
Placement unresolved
File:Masked owl mask4441.jpg
  • "Otus" wintershofensis - fossil (Early/Middle Miocene of Wintershof West, Germany) - may be close to extant genus Ninox[6]
  • "Strix" edwardsi - fossil (Late Miocene)
  • "Asio" pygmaeus - fossil (Early Pliocene of Odessa, Ukraine)
  • Ibiza Owl, Strigidae gen. et sp. indet. - prehistoric[7]

Tytonidae: Barn-owls

  • Genus Tyto - typical barn-owls,stand up to 3 feet tall some 15 species and possibly 1 recently extinct
  • Genus Phodilus - bay-owls, 1-2 extant species and possibly 1 recently extinct

Fossil genera

  • Prosybris (Early Oligocene? - Early Miocene)

Relationship with humans

File:Athene cunicularia konijnuil.jpg





<hiero>m</hiero> Ancient Egyptians used a representation of an owl for their hieroglyph for the sound m. They would often draw this hieroglyph with its legs broken to keep this bird of prey from coming to life.[How to reference and link to summary or text].

Among the Kikuyu of Kenya it was believed that owls were harbingers of death. If you saw an owl or heard its owls hoot, somebody was going to die.

The Americas


In the culture of some Native Americans, (e.g. the Native American Hopi nation), taboos often surround owls and they are often associated with evil or sorcery. Like eagle feathers, the possession of owl feathers as religious objects is regulated by federal law (e.g. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and Title 50 Part 22 Code of Federal Regulations).

The Aztecs and Mayans, along with other natives of Mesoamerica, considered the Owl a symbol of death and destruction. In fact, the Aztec god of death, Mictlantecuhtli, was often depicted with owls. There is an old saying in Mexico that is still in use (considered politically incorrect): Cuando el tecolote canta, el indio muere ("When the owl cries/sings, the indian dies"). The word tecolote (from Nahuatl tecolotl) is the traditional word for owl in Mexican Spanish and is used in most parts of Mexico; however, the proper Spanish word for "owl" is búho.

Other Native American tribes saw the owl as the carrier of the elders' spirits.[How to reference and link to summary or text]

The Moche people of ancient Peru worshipped the animal and often depicted owls in their art.[8]



In Indian culture, a white owl is considered a companion of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and therefore a harbinger of prosperity. The owl has been adapted as an emblem to reflect its implications of wisdom (Wise old owl) by a revered military institution in India known as the Defence Service Staff College. In colloquial use, however, it is commonly used to refer to stupidity.

The Mesopotamian mythology demoness Lilith is thought to have been associated with (screech) owls as well, by way of the KJV translation of the passage in Isaiah 34:14 . Prior to the rise of Islam, owls were considered bad omens and associated with evil spirits in most Middle Eastern pagan traditions. In modern times, although such superstitions are less prevalent, owls are still popularly considered "evil" because of their fierce, horrific appearance.



The, in addition to having borrowed the Greek associations of the owl (see Owl of Minerva), also considered owls to be funerary birds, due to their nocturnal activity and often having their nests in inaccessible places. As a result, seeing an owl in the daytime was considered a bad omen. The vampiric strix of Roman mythology was in part based on the owl.



In Finland the owl is paradoxically viewed as both a symbol of wisdom, and as a symbol of imbecility (presumably because of its "dumb" stare).

See also


  1. See Haaramo (2006). In reality, the presumed distant relationship of the accipitrids - namely, the "Accipitriformes" according to Sibley & Ahlquist (1990) - with owls (and most other bird lineages) is most likely due to systematic error. Accipitrids have undergone drastic chromosome rearrangement and thus appear in DNA-DNA hybridization generally unlike other living birds.
  2. Mortimer (2004)
  3. Olson (1985): pp.131, 267
  4. Mayr (2005)
  5. Alvarenga & Höfling (2003), Peters (2007)
  6. 6.0 6.1 Olson 1985: p.131
  7. Sánchez Marco (2004)
  8. Berrin & Larco Museum (1997)


  • Berrin, Katherine & Larco Museum (1997): The Spirit of Ancient Peru:Treasures from the Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera. Thames and Hudson, New York.
  • Haaramo, Mikko (2006): Mikko's Phylogeny Archive: "Caprimulgiformes" - Nightjars. Version of 2006-MAY-11. Retrieved 2007-NOV-08.
  • Heinrich, Bernd (1987): One Man's Owl
  • Mortimer, Michael (2004): The Theropod Database: Phylogeny of taxa. Retrieved 2007-NOV-04.
  • Peters, Dieter Stefan (2007): The fossil family Ameghinornithidae (Mourer-Chauviré 1981): a short synopsis. Journal of Ornithology 148(1): 25-28. DOI:10.1007/s10336-006-0095-z PDF fulltext
  • Sánchez Marco, Antonio (2004): Avian zoogeographical patterns during the Quaternary in the Mediterranean region and paleoclimatic interpretation. Ardeola 51(1): 91-132. PDF fulltext

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:



North America



Owls - auditory localization

Around Wikia's network

Random Wiki