With oversized eyes that look directly ahead, owls have a familiar, relatable appearance, and their characteristics are often associated with wisdom or, sometimes, mystery. Regardless, owls capture the imagination. Here are a few of our favorite (mostly) night fliers.
Most Diverse Eater
BARRED
The classic whoo cooks for you, whoo cooks for you all is the sound you'll hear most often from barred owls, but they make any number of hoots, shrieks, cackles and caterwauls too. Large nest boxes can accommodate them, but they'll also nest in natural cavities. Occasionally these birds take over a stick nest from another raptor.
The barred owl is one species whose distribution expanded throughout the 20th century. The species was predominantly found in the East, especially in southeastern swamps and woods. Over the last 100 years, barred owls have pushed west across Canada and then south into the Pacific Northwest. This is good news for barred owls but problematic for the closely related, and more passive, spotted owl. But barred owls aren't always the dominant bird-great horned owls can be a major predator on barred owls, where their ranges overlap.
As expected for a species with such a widespread distribution, barred owls' diets vary based on their habitat. Their feasts can include anything from crayfish, fish and frogs to small mammals and birds.
Until recently, an isolated population of barred owls in Mexico was considered a subspecies, but in 2021 researchers determined these birds were a separate species now known as cinereous owls.
Most Elusive
GREAT GRAY
Denne historien er fra October/November 2023-utgaven av Birds & Blooms.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra October/November 2023-utgaven av Birds & Blooms.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Basics of Hydroponics
Use these top tips and plant picks to have a successful soil-free garden
Rooted in Resilience
These hardy perennials will thrive in most zones
Social and Supportive
Brown-headed nuthatches take a helpful approach to raising their young
All About Owl Pellets
And why you should give a hoot about them
Ask the Experts
Advice from our pros about houseplants, bird feeding and more
BRING THE OUTDOORS IN
Making a terrarium is about as close as you can get to a Zen DIY project. Once you have gathered the proper materials and squared away your plant selections, it's as simple as layering it all together and watching your mini ecosystem thrive. Here, I'll walk you through my foolproof process and cover all the required elements for good filtration, healthy soil, strong root growth and resistance against fungus and disease.
GROW THIS. NOT THAT
Six easy-to-grow houseplants—and six that may not be the right choice for you
Winter MAGIC
Forecasts may be frigid, but grab your binoculars because birding opportunities are still incredible
Sense or Nonsense? - Why some birds can taste and smell - but others can't
Does a porcelain berry taste like a blueberry to a gray catbird? Does a block of lard smell like frying bacon to a northern flicker? The short answer is no. While some avian species do have a well-adapted sense of taste or smell, they can't distinguish between flavors and odors the way humans can. They're not picking up every ingredient in the suet you put out, says José Ramírez-Garofalo, an ornithology researcher at Rutgers University in New Jersey and the director of Freshkills Biological Station in Staten Island, New York.
Maple Mania - Amazing facts about this fall foliage mainstay
Amazing facts about this fall foliage mainstay
