Owls [antikvár]

Introduction Owls are soft-plumaged, short-tailed, big-headed birds of prey with large eyes directed forwards and surrounded by a facial disc. They are mainly nocturnal, and the one hundred and thirty-three living species (four are historically extinct) are placed in the order Strigiformes. Within this order there are two families: the Cosmopolitan bam (Tyto sp) and Afro-Asian bay owls [Phodilus sp) constituting the Tytonidae; the remainder being grouped in the family Strigidae, sub-divided into sub-families 'small-eared' Buhoninae and 'big-eared' Striginae. But in non-scientific terms, an owl is a cat with wings. It is a creature superbly adapted for hunting small rodents, watching silently till the time for the fast approach and the moment of truth. Yet, like the cat, it can be noisy on occasions, rending the night v\dth a never-ending series of raucous courting screams and hoots. Like the cat, it is a special favourite with people.