The Allure of Owls

Most owl species are creatures of the night, and this contributes to their appeal. There is something delicious about discovering mysterious beings that conduct their affairs after the sun sets.

But the allure of owls extends beyond their nocturnal habits. Snowy owls are winter visitors to Headwaters from the Arctic and they are diurnal (active during the day). Regardless, “snowies” are very effective in making the hearts of birders beat faster.

Human psychology suggests why we find owls so darn appealing. We’re suckers for big eyes, a preference that may have evolved to make us more attentive to our babies. And owls have massive eyes! The eyes of a rare winter visitor to Headwaters, the great-gray owl, are larger than the eyes of most people, even though the length of these owls is only 60 to 80 centimetres.

Owls are also simply gorgeous. They have beautifully textured plumage and wide, satellite-dish faces. Their biology also appeals. Those big eyes see better at night than almost any other animal and their ears can hear the tiny footfalls of mice deep under snow. They are also masters of stealth flight, swooping towards their prey on silent wings.

The most common Headwaters owls are the diminutive screech owls and the imposing great-horned owls. Another species, the barred owl, is present in larger forest tracts. Two years ago, I was looking
for owls north of Alton, for Ontario’s third breeding-bird atlas project. When I played a recording of a barred owl, one materialized out of the gloom and briefly perched on the head of my companion! Luckily, she was wearing a hat.

Other owls that sometimes breed in our area include long-eared, short-eared and saw-whet. The aforementioned snowy owls can often be found in winter in the open agricultural country of Dufferin and Wellington Counties.

Owls generate great excitement among birders, and they tug, irresistibly, at our heart strings with those big, expressive eyes.