Owl Research Paper By Michi Metas (WARNING: A ten page paper)

Essay by gothicpieHigh School, 11th gradeA-, February 2005

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Owls are very interesting animals. In religion and folklore, they represent symbols such as helpfulness, witches, darkness, medicine, and luck. They were also a symbol of prophecy. Many people know that the owl is associated with the Greek Goddess Athena, and it represents wisdom. Soon after the Greek Empire died out, the owl became associated with darkness, loneliness, and even foolishness. At those times, when people saw and heard the owl's call, they became filled with a lonely eeriness. As time passed, science grew and owls started loosing their dark and mysterious symbols, yet, in America today, the owl is still associated with wisdom.

Types of Owls

There were three orders of owls, one of them extinct. They are Tytonidae (Farm owls), Strigidae (Typical owls), and Protostrigidae (Which are extinct owls).

Some examples of Tytonidae owls include the barn own and the burrowing owl.

Barn owls normally live in old church sites and barns (hence the name).

Their upper body is a light grey colour, with a number of dark lines and random white spots on their feathers. On their wings and their back are beige markings, while the bottom is white with or without black spots. Their legs do not have much feathering and their feet are yellowish white or a brownish colour. The "facial disk" of the barn owl is usually white with a brownish edge, and they have brown marks in front of the eyes. The eyes contain a black iris, while the beak is an "off-white" shade. Males and females are generally the same size, but females and juveniles usually have less spots then the males do.

Barn owls are found mostly everywhere in North America, but particularly in open woodlands, heaths, and moors instead of a forested country. They normally rest in tree hollows, caves,