Studio Brief 1 - Wayfinding - Owl Research

Owl Research / Facts

Owls:

-         

-        Mostly hunt at night because they are nocturnal

-        Hold prey in hooked talons

-        Have mottled feather provide camouflage

-        Have curved beaks to tear food

-        Have eyes that face forward. They are large and round providing binocular vision to judge distances better

-        Have light sensitive cells in their eyes called rods meaning they see best in low light

-        Have limited cone cells in their eyes meaning they see very limited colour or complete monochrome

-        Roost in hidden places

-        Can rotate their heads to see behind them

-        That are female are larger than the males

-        Ears are at different positions on their head which creates differences in sound in each ear meaning they are able to find prey easier

-        Facial feathers help direct sound waves to the ears

-        Swallow their prey whole

-        Cannot digest bones, fur and feathers so they are coughed up

-        Feather edges are soft and fluffy to help reduce flight noise, meaning they hunt almost silently

Other facts

-        The name of a group of owls is a ‘parliament’

-        Native Americans thought owls were souls of people and should not be harmed