Muskan

· 30 Dec 2021

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What do owls eat

The owls are the graceful creatures of dawn, dusk, and darkness that have always captivated us. It's no surprise they're such skilled hunters, what with their superb talons, incredible eyesight, and hearing abilities. Due to their ability to adapt to locally available food sources, an owl's diet can be quite varied. Different owl species hunt in distinct areas and have different food needs. Many hunters will go hunting in mature woods, lowland farming, and upland moorland. The prevalence of small animals such as mice, voles, and shrews in the diet of most owls, however, remains constant. Let us read ahead to explore what do owls eat?

Types of Owls and their diets
The five most common types of owls and their eating habits are as follows:
1.    Tawny Owl: Tawny owls are the most common owl, owing to their widespread distribution. They are also the largest common owl. As they are completely nocturnal; they are rarely spotted. They prefer deciduous forests and make their nests in tree cavities and abandoned houses. When they're in the woods, they eat bank voles, wood mice, and shrews. They also eat field voles and small birds, as well as invertebrates like huge beetles, on farms.
2.    Long-eared Owl: These owls are similar in size to a wood pigeon, are big and skinny. Field voles, wood mice, and bank voles are all part of their diet. They've also been known to consume birds on occasion. They hunt by quartering or swooping low over the ground in search of prey. Owls that live in open areas such as meadows and brush near woodlands frequently employ this technique.
3.    Little Owl: Little owls build their cavity nests in dead trees, stone walls, and old buildings, and their diminutive size allows them to fit into tight spaces. They have an excellent vision that works well both during the day and at night, and they catch their prey either chasing it down on the ground or swooping down from their perching spot. Invertebrates, such as earthworms and beetles, as well as some small animals, are common in their diet. They are also known to take tiny birds during the mating season. Little owls are frequently observed perched on trees or rocks.
4.    Barn Owl: The barn owl, with its distinctive heart-shaped face, is found throughout the United Kingdom. They live in a setting of mixed farmland, hedgerows, and little woods. Field voles are their primary prey, but they also eat bank voles, shrews, mice, rats, and small birds. When barn owl chicks are in the nest, it's fairly uncommon for them to eat each other! Barn owls have a keen sense of hearing. This is why they hunt primarily with sound – they can detect even the tiniest of disturbances.
5.    Short-eared Owl: Short-eared owls build their nests on the ground on upland moorland, grassland, and young woodland. They build nests in grass, reeds, or heather. During the day, they are busy and can be observed flying low over moorland and wetlands in search of prey. Small animals are their primary prey, with the field vole accounting for up to 80% of their diet.  

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