1. All About Owls

2. What is an owl? Owls are RAPTORS which means they are birds of prey. They have sharp talons (claws) and beaks to catch their prey. Most owls are NOCTURNAL, which means that they hunt at night. There are about 200 species (types) of owl.

3. Can you remember which owls were mentioned in the story? Little owls Barn owls Short eared owls Long eared owls Tawny owls

4. Where do owls live? (Habitat) Different species of owls live in different places. Many owls live in forests, nesting in holes in tree trunks. Some owls live in barns or in deserted buildings. Snowy owls can live in the freezing Arctic and they nest on the ground. Owls can even live in cactus plants in the desert!

5. What do owls look like? (Appearance) Owls have sharp, powerful talons (claws) to help them catch and kill prey. They have large heads and soft, camouflaged feathers. Some owls are are small as 12 cm and others are as huge as 60 cm.

6. What do owls eat? (Diet) Owls are CARNIVORES. They eat insects and small mammals such as mice and voles. Some owls eat fish. There are even owls who eat other birds.

7. Special features Because most owls hunt at night, they have huge eyes which are specially adapted to let in more light. An owl can turn its head round much further than humans can but it can not move its eyes. Many owls have special feathers on their wings so that they can move silently. Why would this be helpful? Owls also have amazing hearing which they use when hunting.

8. An interesting fact… The tufts on top of the owl’s head are not actually its ears. An owl’s ears are on the side of its head, are often at different heights and are different sizes to help the owl hear sounds at great distances.

9. Talk to a partner … What 3 facts can you remember about owls?