35 Interesting Facts About Owls
Owls are nocturnal birds of prey. They are present in all parts of the earth except Antarctica and a few remote islands. The earliest owl species is nearly 60 million years old. Paleontologists have discovered fossils of this ancient owl in northwestern France. It was a large owl similar in size to the eagle owl, the largest modern owl species. ( Source ) The earliest almost complete owl fossil is 55 million years old. The size of this owl is nearly equal to the size of a modern snowy owl. This newly discovered owl species has different talons from modern owls. They are similar to those of diurnal birds, such as eagles and goshawks. Scientists believe owls changed their hunting technique from diurnal to nocturnal 34 million years ago due to competition from other birds of prey. ( Source ) There are more than 200 species of owls. They are divided into two families : typical owls and barn owls. The most prominent feature of barn owls is their heart-shaped facia...