Marcella Battin, age 10, of Spokane, Wash., for her question:
IS THE OWL THE WISEST BIRD IN THE FOREST?
Owls can be found throughout the world except in Antarctica and on a few isolated oceanic islands. They have adapted themselves to just about every available ecological niche from barren deserts to tropical rainforests or the arctic wastes. There are two families: the barn owl and the typical owl. The differences between the two are extremely slight.
Owls are famous for their forward facing eyes which are set in pronounced facial disks. They also have large heads which seem to be set on short necks. And they also have soft, fluffy plumage which makes their flights through the air almost completely silent.
There are 133 species of owls. They live on animal food which they catch alive by using their hooked beaks and strong, grasping feet.
Many people rate the owl as the wisest bird in the forest. He's smart, all right, but the experts say he is not smarter than many other kinds of birds.
The report of wisdom, the experts say, is a happy legend and a long standing reputation brought about because the owl does indeed look wise and also because he keeps his mouth shut most of the time.
For ages the owl has been regarded with a mixture of fear, suspicion and superstition. Owls are mentioned in legends and folk tales. To some primitive people, owls are birds of sorcery and ill omen, and they also are the consorts of witches and demons.
The owl is actually one of the farmer's best friends. And many farmers say that this bird is definitely the wisest of them all. Farmers like owls because they keep down the numbers of mice and rats.
An owl hunts by sound perhaps more than by sight. He can locate his prey in total darkness, using his ears.
Contrary to popular thought, owls are not blind in the daytime. Some species are daytime hunters. Most, however, are nocturnal and are seldom seen during daylight hours.
The characteristic facial disk is believed to have an accoustical function in gathering and concentrating sound waves much like the parabolic reflectors sound technicians use.
Owls' ears, although completely hidden under feathers, are extremely large.
In many species of owls, the right and left ear openings differ in size and shape. This difference undoubtedly increases the owl's binaural efficiency in locating prey by sound.
Owls' eyes are less mobile in their sockets than those of most other birds. They turn their heads to see things on either side or in back. They can twist their heads around a full 180 degrees.