When you think of an owl, what comes to mind? Wisdom, mystery and a sense of wonder? Owls are a popular but sometimes misunderstood bird. They are beautiful creatures, and it’s easy to find decorations and other items with their images on them. Here are a few of our favorite owl-themed gifts, along with some interesting facts about these nocturnal animals.
A lot of people think owls can rotate their heads 360 degrees, but they actually can only rotate them about 270 degrees. The neck motion cuts off their circulation, but they have a special blood-pooling system that collects the necessary blood to keep their brains and eyes working properly. A group of owls is called a “parliament.” This is a tribute to C.S. Lewis, the author of the Chronicles of Narnia, who first used the phrase “parliament of owls” in the book The Silver Chair. Owls hunt other owls. For example, the Barred Owl’s biggest predator is the Great Horned Owl.
The tiniest owl in the entire world is an Elf Owl. It’s usually about five or six inches tall and only weights about an ounce and a half. The largest owl in the world is the Great Horned Owl, and this type of owl usually is about 32 inches in height. Owls’ eyes are tube-shaped and they cannot move them. This gives them binocular-like vision and allows them to easily zero in on their prey. Barn owls swallow their food whole, and they eat about 1,000 mice per year on average. This make owls an excellent and natural way to help with pest control. Owls can hear their prey, even if the prey is underneath leaves, rocks, snow, dirt and more. Some owls’ ears are set at different heights on their heads, which allows them to focus on differences in sound waves and locate their prey that way. Other owls’ feathers are situated so they help to focus the sound the owls are hearing.
Owls don’t just hoot. They make a variety of other noises as well, like screeching, whistling and shrieking. Barn owls hiss when they feel threatened. Owls and humans co-exist peacefully, and owls have come to symbolize wisdom, femininity, fertility and the moon’s cycle. Interested in buying owl-themed gifts or browsing through our products? Call The Woods Gifts at 651-458-4011, Browse Our Site or Contact Us. Source 1: Audubon Society Source 2: Mental Floss
