ClipArt ETC
Athene maculta, which derive their name from the Greek goddess of wisdom, supposedly for their meditative air and mysterious habits. They are found throughout the world.

Athene Maculta

Athene maculta, which derive their name from the Greek goddess of wisdom, supposedly for their meditative…

Beak of Tawny Owl.

Owl Beak

Beak of Tawny Owl.

Athene conneviens, which derive their name from the Greek goddess of wisdom, supposedly for their meditative air and mysterious habits. They are found throughout the world.

Athene conneviens

Athene conneviens, which derive their name from the Greek goddess of wisdom, supposedly for their meditative…

Foot of Tawny Owl.

Owl Foot

Foot of Tawny Owl.

"The owl is one of the soberest -looking of animals", (Hooker, 1886).

Owl

"The owl is one of the soberest -looking of animals", (Hooker, 1886).

Owl, head only.

Owl

Owl, head only.

Owls are found on nearly every continent.

Owl

Owls are found on nearly every continent.

A night-life bird whose huge eyes help it see.

Owl

A night-life bird whose huge eyes help it see.

An owl, perched.

Owl

An owl, perched.

Owls can be found in all parts of the world, some as short as five inches long while others are as large as two feet.

Owl

Owls can be found in all parts of the world, some as short as five inches long while others are as large…

A large group of birds of prey, including fully 150 species, about forty of which inhabit America. They are distinguished chiefly on account of their nocturnl habits. The different species have a short head, a circular or triangular facial disc, large eyes and ears, the outer toe reversible, aand, owing to the soft plumage, a noiseless flight.

Owl

A large group of birds of prey, including fully 150 species, about forty of which inhabit America. They…

A large group of birds of prey, including fully 150 species, about forty of which inhabit America. They are distinguished chiefly on account of their nocturnl habits. The different species have a short head, a circular or triangular facial disc, large eyes and ears, the outer toe reversible, aand, owing to the soft plumage, a noiseless flight.

Owl

A large group of birds of prey, including fully 150 species, about forty of which inhabit America. They…

An owl perched on a book, with a branch in the background.

Owl and Book

An owl perched on a book, with a branch in the background.

An adult owl being mobbed by a group of smaller birds. Mobbing occurs when smaller birds, in fear, will swarm in an attack other birds.

The Mobbing of an Owl

An adult owl being mobbed by a group of smaller birds. Mobbing occurs when smaller birds, in fear, will…

A pair of American barn-owls, one of which is grasping a small rodent in its claws.

American Barn Owl

A pair of American barn-owls, one of which is grasping a small rodent in its claws.

The barn owl is known to destroy rats and mice on farms,(Figuier, 1869).

Barn Owl

The barn owl is known to destroy rats and mice on farms,(Figuier, 1869).

"Strix nebulosa. Barred Owl. Hoot Owl. American Wood Owl. Toes fully feathered, nearly or quite to the claws, which are blackish; bill yellow; iris black. Of medium size in this genus. Markings of back and breast in cross-bars, of belly in lengthwise stripes. Above, umber-brown or liver-color, everywhere with white or tawny, or both; breast the same; on the belly the pattern changing abruptly to heavy dusky shaft-stripes on a white or tawny ground; crissum the same; feet speckled with dusky; wings and tail like the back or rather darker, regularly barred with gray, light brown or tawny, some of the bars usually making white spots at their ends, and the markings of the wing-coverts rather in spots than bars. Lining of wings tawny, with some dusky spotting. Facial disc set in a frame of black and white specks, with blackened eye-lids, and obscurely watered with lighter and darker colors in rings around the eye as a centre, the bristly feathers about the bill mixed black and white, or white at base, blackened terminally. A notably large and somewhat impressive owl of Eastern North America, common in woodland of the U.S. especially southerly; not known to range much north of the U.S. though occurring in parts of Canada, and not reported from the West, where apparently replaced by S. occidentalis." Elliot Coues, 1884

Barred Owl

"Strix nebulosa. Barred Owl. Hoot Owl. American Wood Owl. Toes fully feathered, nearly or quite to the…

"Speotyto cunicularia, the Burrowing Owl, a comparatively long-legged and short -winged bird with incomplete facial discs and unfeathered toes, is umber-brown varied with yellowish and white, the lower parts becoming lighter." A. H. Evans

Two Burrowing Owls by the Mountains

"Speotyto cunicularia, the Burrowing Owl, a comparatively long-legged and short -winged bird with incomplete…

The Canada owl, also known as the day or hawk owl. It feeds primarily on small birds.

Canada Owl

The Canada owl, also known as the day or hawk owl. It feeds primarily on small birds.

Eagle or great-horned owl, found in Europe and northern asia. It feeds on hares, rabbits, moles, mice, rats, partridges, and reptiles.

Eagle Owl

Eagle or great-horned owl, found in Europe and northern asia. It feeds on hares, rabbits, moles, mice,…

Foot of the eagle owl, with sharp talons for grasping prey.

Foot of the Eagle Owl

Foot of the eagle owl, with sharp talons for grasping prey.

Head of an eagle owl. It has large eyes for seeing at night, and a hooked beak for snaring its prey.

Head of an Eagle Owl

Head of an eagle owl. It has large eyes for seeing at night, and a hooked beak for snaring its prey.

Horned owls are distinguished by two tufts or horns of feathers placed on each side of their head.

Great Horned Owl

Horned owls are distinguished by two tufts or horns of feathers placed on each side of their head.

"Bubo virginianus. Great Horned Owl. Hoot Owl. Cat Owl. Distinguished by its large size and conspicuous ear-tufts, our other species of similar stature being tuftless or nearly so. Plumage varying interminably, no concise description meeting all its phases. A white collar on the throat is the most constant color-mark. On the upper parts, the under-plumage tawny, but so overlaid with course mottling of blackish and white, that it shows chiefly on the head, nape, and scapulars; the mottling chiefly transverse, and resolving into 7-9 continuous or broken bars on the wings and tail. Under parts white, indefinitely tawny-tinged, and for the most part barred crosswise with blackish, changing on the fore breast to ragged and rather lengthwise blotches. Feathering of feet nearly plain tawny. Ear-tufts black and tawny; a dark mark over eye; border of the facial disc black, the face white or tawny, but the feathers mostly black shafted. Bill and claws black; iris yellow; pupil always circular; when fully dilated as large as a finger-ring, contractile to the size of a pea." Elliot Coues, 1884

Great Horned Owl

"Bubo virginianus. Great Horned Owl. Hoot Owl. Cat Owl. Distinguished by its large size and conspicuous…

Genus <em>ascalaphia</em>, a large owl, native to southern Europe and northern parts of Egypt.

Great Short-Eared Owl

Genus ascalaphia, a large owl, native to southern Europe and northern parts of Egypt.

"The owl is a popular name for any nocturnal, raptorial bird, of which about 200 species are known. Their classification is in a very unsettled state. Willoughby's division into two sections&ndash; one having 'ears' or 'horns,' as the tufts of feathers on their heads were called, the other destitute of such appendages&ndash; was shown to be unnatural by Geoffroy St. Hilaire. The prevailing color of the plumage is brown, with a tinge of rusty-red, and it is exceedingly loose and soft, so that their flight (even in the larger species) is almost noiseless, enabling them to swoop upon their prey, which they hunt in the twilight. All owls cast up in the form of pellets the indigestible parts of the food swallowed. These castings may be seen under any owl-roost, and show plainly the great service these birds render to man in destroying rats and mice. They range over the whole globe."&mdash;(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Great Snow Owl

"The owl is a popular name for any nocturnal, raptorial bird, of which about 200 species are known.…

The Hawk owl is about 15 inches long and feeds on rabbits, rats, mice, reptiles and birds, (Figuier, 1869).

Hawk Owl

The Hawk owl is about 15 inches long and feeds on rabbits, rats, mice, reptiles and birds, (Figuier,…

"Surnia funerea. American Hawk Owl. Day Owl. Bill and eyes yellow; claws brownish-black. Upper parts bistre-brown, darkest and almost blackish on the head, where profusely spotted with small round white mark, to which succeeds a nuchal interval less spotted or free from spots, then an area of larger and lengthened spots; scapulars profusely spotted with white in large pattern, forming a scapular bar as in Scops; back and wing-coverts more or less spotted with white also; primaries and secondaries with with white spots in pairs on opposite edges of the feathers. Tail broken-barred with white or pale gray, usually narrowly and distinctly, on one or both webs, and tipped with the same; but there is great individual variation in this respect, as may also be said of the amount and character of the spotting of the upper parts. Under parts from the breast backward, including the crissum, closely and regularly cross-barred with rich reddish-brown, or even reddish-brown, or even reddish-black, upon a white ground, the alternating bars of color usually of about equal widths - if anything, the white the broadest.

Hawk Owl

"Surnia funerea. American Hawk Owl. Day Owl. Bill and eyes yellow; claws brownish-black. Upper parts…

A pair of great American horned owls, sitting on the ground.

Great American Horned Owls

A pair of great American horned owls, sitting on the ground.

"The owl is a popular name for any nocturnal, raptorial bird, of which about 200 species are known. Their classification is in a very unsettled state. Willoughby's division into two sections&ndash; one having 'ears' or 'horns,' as the tufts of feathers on their heads were called, the other destitute of such appendages&ndash; was shown to be unnatural by Geoffroy St. Hilaire. The prevailing color of the plumage is brown, with a tinge of rusty-red, and it is exceedingly loose and soft, so that their flight (even in the larger species) is almost noiseless, enabling them to swoop upon their prey, which they hunt in the twilight. All owls cast up in the form of pellets the indigestible parts of the food swallowed. These castings may be seen under any owl-roost, and show plainly the great service these birds render to man in destroying rats and mice. They range over the whole globe."&mdash;(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Rock Owl

"The owl is a popular name for any nocturnal, raptorial bird, of which about 200 species are known.…

The scops-eared owl is diminutive in size, not exceeding that of the thrush, (Figuier, 1869).

Scops-Eared Owl

The scops-eared owl is diminutive in size, not exceeding that of the thrush, (Figuier, 1869).

The scops-eared owl is diminutive in size, not exceeding that of the thrush, (Figuier, 1869).

Scops-Eared Owl

The scops-eared owl is diminutive in size, not exceeding that of the thrush, (Figuier, 1869).

A scops-eared owl feeding on a small rodent. It is common in Central and Southern Europe.

Scops-Eared Owl

A scops-eared owl feeding on a small rodent. It is common in Central and Southern Europe.

Strix flammea, the nocturnal White Screech-, or Barn Owl, is orange-buff above, with brown, grey and white markings, but is white below and on the complete facial discs. The dark grey phase has white parts tinged with orange and a few distinct blackish spots beneath. The legs are entirely, and the toes partially, covered with bristly feathers." A. H. Evens, 1900

Screech Owl

Strix flammea, the nocturnal White Screech-, or Barn Owl, is orange-buff above, with brown, grey and…

"Asio accipitrinus. Short-eared Owl. Marsh Owl. Ear-tufts inconspicuous, much shorter than middle toe and claw, few-feathered. First and 2d primaries emarginate on inner webs. Above, completely variegated, chiefly in streaks, with fulvous or tawny, and dark brown; breast much the same, but other under parts paler ochrey, usually bleaching on the belly, which in sparely but sharply streaked (never barred) with dark brown; feet pale tawny or whitish, usually immaculate; lining of wings interruptedly whitish. Wing-quills varied, mostly in large pattern, and tail pretty regularly barred (about 5 bars) with the two colors of the upper parts. Facial area white or nearly so, but with a large black eye-patch; the disc minutely speckled with fulvous and blackish, bordered with white internally and usually having a blackish patch behind the ear; radiating feathers of the oper-culum streaked with blackish and fulvous. Iris bright yellow; bill and claws dusky-bluish; the naked granular soles yellowish. The ear-opening of this species is extremely large, being two inches or more across the longest way." Elliot Coues, 1884

Short-eared Owl

"Asio accipitrinus. Short-eared Owl. Marsh Owl. Ear-tufts inconspicuous, much shorter than middle toe…

"Aluco flammeus pratincola. Barn Owl. above, including upper surfaces of wings and tail, tawny, fulvous, or orange-brown delicately clouded or marbled with ashy and white, and dotted with blackish, sometimes also with white; suck marking resolved, or tending to resolve, into four or five bars of dark mottling on the wings and tail. below, including lining of wings, varying from pure white to tawny, ochrey, or fulvous, but usually paler than the upper parts and dotted with small but distinct blackish specks. Face varying from white to fulvous or purplish-brown, in some shades as if stained with claret, usually quite dark or even black. About the eyes, and the border of the disc, dark brown. Thus extremely variable in tone of coloration, but the pattern more constant, while the generic characters render the bird unmistakable. Nestlings are covered with fluffy white down." Elliot Coues, 1884

Small Barn Owls

"Aluco flammeus pratincola. Barn Owl. above, including upper surfaces of wings and tail, tawny, fulvous,…

"Nyctea scandiaca. Snowy Owl. Pure white, spotted and barred with brownish-black markings, wholly indeterminate in size and number; but entirely white specimens are very rare. There is often more black then white; and in the darkest birds, the markings tend to bar the plumage with with rows of spots, such pattern specially evident of the wings and tails. A common average plumage is spotted all over the upper parts, broken-barred on the quills and tail-feathers, regularly barred on the under parts, and with white face and paws. The face, throat, and feet are usually whitest. Bill and claws black; iris yellow. Nearly or about two two feet long." Elliot Coues, 1884

Snowy Owl

"Nyctea scandiaca. Snowy Owl. Pure white, spotted and barred with brownish-black markings, wholly indeterminate…

The white owl (also known as the snowy or ermine owl), found in the colder latitudes of the world. Its heavy coating of feathers is well-suited to arctic climes.

White Owl

The white owl (also known as the snowy or ermine owl), found in the colder latitudes of the world. Its…

A young barn-owl.

Young Barn Owl

A young barn-owl.

"Aluco flammeus pratincola. Barn Owl. above, including upper surfaces of wings and tail, tawny, fulvous, or orange-brown delicately clouded or marbled with ashy and white, and dotted with blackish, sometimes also with white; suck marking resolved, or tending to resolve, into four or five bars of dark mottling on the wings and tail. below, including lining of wings, varying from pure white to tawny, ochrey, or fulvous, but usually paler than the upper parts and dotted with small but distinct blackish specks. Face varying from white to fulvous or purplish-brown, in some shades as if stained with claret, usually quite dark or even black. About the eyes, and the border of the disc, dark brown. Thus extremely variable in tone of coloration, but the pattern more constant, while the generic characters render the bird unmistakable. Nestlings are covered with fluffy white down." Elliot Coues, 1884

Barn Owls

"Aluco flammeus pratincola. Barn Owl. above, including upper surfaces of wings and tail, tawny, fulvous,…