The Owl’s World Part 3
In the past two issues we have looked at some interesting owls. Let’s look at two more.
The Burrowing Owl
These small owls have heads as round as a ball and long legs. They are dressed in light-colored fluffy feathers from throat to feet, but elsewhere are a soft brown.
They live out on barren deserts, making their homes in underground burrows, which they may dig out themselves, but prefer finding one abandoned by ground squirrels or badgers. They come out of their burrows in the cool of the morning and evening, hunting for lizards, mice, gophers and insects, but retreat to the burrows during the hot hours. They can see well in daylight and are strictly daytime hunters.
Half a dozen little ones are usually raised each springtime, with the parents caring for them a long time. Eventually, of course, the little ones learn to make it on their own.
The Great Gray Owl
This 30-inch bird is a giant in the owl family, with a wide wingspread. Part of the year it makes its home in the far north. In times of snow, it plunges through the snow to catch mice and other rodents active on the ground underneath. But when the snow becomes frozen hard, it finds this difficult and usually migrates to southern Canada and some of the western States.
Its pale yellow eyes are enclosed in an extremely round face covered with short, light-brown feathers, fringed around the circumference. The rest of its body is darker brown mottled with white.
It builds a nest made of sticks and moss high in an evergreen tree, but uses old nests of other large birds when possible.
If space allowed it would be interesting to look at the boreal owl, the long-eared, northern spotted, screech owl, barred owl, saw-whet and arctic owl and many other varieties. But those we have looked at are examples of the ways of most owls.
They are all a reminder to us of the wonderful ways in which the Creator provides for all His creatures. Let us not forget His wonderful care and love for us.
The Psalmist expresses this so well in the Bible verses, “I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember Thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all Thy work, and talk of Thy doings.” Psalm 77:11,1211I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. 12I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. (Psalm 77:11‑12). Another verse says: “O Lord of Hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee.” Psalm 84:1212O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. (Psalm 84:12). Do you trust the Lord?
ML 07/29/1990