5 Fun Facts About Owls: Incredible Raptors of the Night

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Beyond their mysterious appearance and nocturnal habits, owls have evolved remarkable physical features and hunting abilities that help them survive in diverse environments. But what makes these nighttime hunters so fascinating? Here are five fun facts about owls that reveal their unique adaptations and unusual abilities, according to National Geographic.

1. Owls Have Remarkably Large Eyes

An owl’s eyes can account for three percent of its body weight, helping it see clearly in darkness. Unlike human eyes, owl eyes sit in rigid cylinders, limiting movement while maximizing image brightness for night vision.

2. Many Owls Can Fly Almost Silently

Most owls hunt at night, and soft fringes along their feathers help absorb sound as they fly silently. Silent flight helps owls approach prey undetected, allowing them to swoop through the night air without a sound.

3. Owl Ears Are Hidden Beneath Their Feathers

Most owl species have asymmetrical ears, with one positioned slightly higher than the other beneath their soft feathers. This unusual arrangement helps owls pinpoint sounds accurately, while feather tufts on some species merely look like ears.

4. Owls Can Turn Their Heads Up to 270 Degrees

Contrary to popular belief, owls cannot turn their heads completely around, but their highly flexible necks allow for remarkable movement. This ability helps them observe their surroundings while their relatively fixed eyes remain focused on predators or prey.

5. Owls Eat Their Prey and Cough Up What They Can’t Digest

Most owls eat small rodents, while others also hunt insects, frogs, fish, birds, rabbits, and many other animals. After swallowing prey, owls digest edible parts before regurgitating pellets containing remaining fur, bones, teeth, and feathers.

From deserts and forests to the Arctic tundra, owls have adapted to a remarkable range of environments around the world. These birds are among the most widespread land birds, found on every continent except Antarctica.

Indonesia is also home to diverse owl species, each with distinctive characteristics and habitats. These include the Serak Jawa, Beluk Jampuk, Beluk Watu Jawa, Celepuk Gunung, and Serak Bukit.