Today we will look at the interesting great horned owl. Weighing about three pounds and measuring two feet long, this is one of the largest in the owl family. It is found in many places throughout North America. It has the nickname winged tiger, because of its boldness and power. This is the only owl that destroys poultry, but it makes up for this destruction by keeping down the rabbit population.
The name “great horned” comes from the two tufts of feathers on top of its head that look like ears or horns. Its actual ears are not visible but are hidden under light feathers on the sides of its head. Its hearing is thought to be the most sensitive hearing in the bird and animal world. With this hearing it can pinpoint the squeak of a mouse or the faint rustle of a beetle moving in dry leaves up to three hundred feet away!
This owl does not have to rely entirely on its ears, for its eyes are as large as a man’s and thirty-five times more sensitive. With eyes pointing forward, it watches an object with both eyes. Its vision is so keen that it can observe prey a long way off that would be impossible for our eyes to see.
Without moving its body, a large, swiveling head enables it to locate prey in almost any direction, either by actual sight or by what its sensitive ears pick up. Taking off from its perch, the owl focuses on an unsuspecting target. The shape of its wings and its fluffy feathers muffle the swishing sound that most birds make when they fly. It silently swoops down, landing on the prey with its legs braced forward, and in one quick move it tosses the victim’s head back, breaking the neck and killing it instantly.
The great horned is the boldest of all owls in defending its nest of three eggs. It is not uncommon for someone trying to get close to be suddenly dive-bombed, receiving painful cuts and torn clothes.
After hatching, the baby owls rely on the parents for food for nine or ten weeks, but eventually it is up to them to catch their own. Learning to fly is difficult. On their first flight attempts they sometimes end up on the ground. Unable to fly back, they grip the bark of the tree with their claws and hooked beaks, climbing to a branch, resting a while, then continuing to climb to a high perch.
In our next issue we will look at two more of these remarkable birds and the ways the Creator, knowing all about each one of them, has designed them for their particular way of life. The opening Bible verse tells us this.
(to be continued)
ML-01/29/2006