The owl is a representative of the order of birds of prey, which includes more than 220 different species, distributed throughout the world, except for Antarctica. Most of them are nocturnal and have a peculiar disposition.
The lifestyle of all species of owls inhabiting the planet is approximately the same, only slightly varying the diet and place of residence.
Owls do not build nests themselves, but either occupy old nests of corvids and other birds of prey, or settle in hollows, rock niches and other natural shelters. There are known cases when owls made dwellings in human buildings. For example, in the UK there is an owl suffering from agoraphobia, a fear of open space. This is a male owl named Gandalf, who sits in a small shed all day and night and watches what is happening on the street from the window.
Predatory owls feed on small birds and rodents, hunt mice and rats. Thanks to their unique hearing, they can correctly determine where the victim is hiding, and thanks to their special binocular vision, they can accurately calculate the distance to the object and concentrate all their attention on it.
A distinctive feature of all owls is stealth. Walking through the woods, you are more likely to hear them than see them. Another interesting property is increased curiosity. So, seeing a person in the forest, an owl can begin to chase him, flying from branch to branch.
Contrary to popular belief, owls often do not live alone, but in pairs, and the resulting couple usually live inseparably their whole lives. This is facilitated, in particular, by the settled nature of owls. Another curious nuance: during underfeeding, older owl chicks feast on younger ones.
In Russia, long-eared owls are most common - a species that got its name from the peculiar "ears" formed by feathers. The southern ones lead a traditionally sedentary lifestyle, and the northern ones fly to the south with the onset of cold weather. You can meet a long-eared owl in a coniferous forest or park.
