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Would we even know
owls were there if we couldn’t hear
their deep low calls coming from the dark
woods? These stealth hunters give us a sense
of wonder in anyone who hears their voice.
From the soothing deep sounds of the Barred
or Great Horned Owl to the stirring calls
of Screech Owl, you don’t have to be
a birding expert to get to know these birds.
Just spend some time outside in the dark.
Tailored to be birds of the night, they
see during the day just about like us, but
at night, they have built in high-powered
night vision binoculars. These come in the
form of large eyes with lots of extra cones
and a special light reflecting membrane.
These features allow owls to see 10 times
better than we can at night. Flexible necks
compensate for not being able to move their
eyes.
They can also hear very well with the ears
on the sides of their heads that are hidden
by feathers. When they turn their heads,
they can focus the sound to narrow in on
prey. The things that look like ears on
the top of Great Horned and Screech Owls
are just tufts of feathers. Owls have some
of the most specialized feathers in the
bird world.
Don’t expect to hear owls finding their
meals at night. With flight feathers lined
with fine fringe feathers, the wind is silent
as they push the air under them. This is
another edge they have on their elusive
and fast prey. No sounds are likely to be
heard from eating their prey either, since
the meal is swallowed whole.
The indigestible hair, feathers, bones and
teeth will be expelled out the mouth in
pellet form. Studying pellets has provided
us with an understanding of the role that
owls play in keeping a balance in the ecosystem.
Owls have had a conflicted life among humans.
Owls were killed because people saw them
take some rabbits, quails or chickens and
saw them as competitors, but in fact, they
were caretakers. In areas where owls were
killed, rodent populations exploded. The
rodents preyed on the ground-nesting birds
and mammals, causing a greater loss of game
than the owl. Large and small owls have
a tremendous impact on keeping the balance.
Two common large owls in Indiana are the
Barred and Great Horned. A typical look
of an owl is an upright position, big head,
short neck and eyes facing forward. The
Barred owl is about two feet tall and has
dark eyes. He likes wooded swamps and mature
woodlands. This is the owl with the famous
“Who cooks for you – Who
cooks for you” call people often imitate.
The Great Horned owl is well named for the
large tufts of feathers that stick up on
the top of its head. This big, yellow-eyed
owl has a low deep hoot that is repeated
three to eight times in a rhythm. Found
nearly everywhere but cities, they like
mixed hard wood forests, open woodlands
and plains.
On the other end of the spectrum is the
common Screech Owl, a mini version of the
Great Horned, complete with yellow eyes
and feather tufts on the top of their heads.
With a whinny and a quavering whistle, the
calls of this owl are always noticed. Screech
owls can be found in parks, orchards and
backyards.
A wonderful way to experience owls is by
going to a high overlook of a wooded area.
This gives you an opportunity to hear over
a wider area. As your eyes adjust to the
dark, your ears will be rewarded with the
calls of these night caretakers resonating
through the valleys of the forests below.
• Kelly Misamore owns The
Birdhouse, 108 E. Main St., Madison, IN.
Call her at (812) 273-1193.
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