Camden Lifestyle Magazine Issue 02 "The Outdoors"

The world is home to more than 200 owl species, most of which are nocturnal predators of
insects, birds and mammals. Georgia’s native owls are very beneficial components of the
state’s ecosystems, as they help to keep small animal populations in check. Great horned,
barred, barn and eastern screech owls inhabit Georgia in all seasons, but bird watchers
have also spotted five rare visitors from time to time.
Barn Owl - In contrast to all other native Georgia owls, which are members of the family
Strigidae, barn owls (tyto alba) are members of the family Tytonidae. Rather than
the round facial disk common to all strigids, the barn owl has a heart shaped facial
disk. They are generally pale overall with dark eyes, they have a mix of bluff and gray
on the head, back, and upperwings, and are white on the face, body, and underwings.
When seen at night they can appear all white. Barn Owls nest and roost in cavities,
abandoned barns and other buildings, and dense trees. At night, Barn Owls hunt by
flying low, back and forth over open habitats, searching for small rodents primarily by
sound. These owls require large areas of open land over which to hunt. This can either
be marsh, grasslands, or mazed agricultural fields. For nesting and roosting, they prefer
quiet cavities, either in trees or man-made structures such as barns and silos.
Great Horned Owl - With its long, earlike tufts, intimidating yellow-eyed stare, and
deep hooting voice, the Great Horned Owl is the quintessential owl of storybooks. This
powerful predator can take down birds and mammals even larger than itself, but it also
dines on daintier fare such as tiny scorpions, mice, and frogs. It’s one of the most common
owls in North America, equally at home in deserts, wetlands, forests, grasslands,
backyards, cities, and almost any other semi-open habitat between the Arctic and the
tropics. They have large eyes, pupils that open widely in the dark, and retinas containing
many rod cells for excellent night vision. Their eyes don’t move in their sockets, but
they can swivel their heads more than 180 degrees to look in any direction. They also
have sensitive hearing, thanks in part to facial disc feathers that direct sound waves to
their ears.
Northern Saw Owl