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What is the difference between an owl and an owl. Owl as a pet How to distinguish the gender of an owl

Real owls (Strigidae) belong to the family of birds of prey and the order of owls. Bright representatives of owls are eared owls, scops and owls, as well as owls. They are among the most ancient birds living on our planet.

Briefly about owls in nature

According to many domestic and foreign ornithologists, the presence of owls in the northern part of America was noted tens of millions of years ago. In nature, owls are of no small importance. Such predatory birds do not allow the population of rodents to increase, which can cause very serious damage to forestry and agriculture.

Birds of this order can be found almost everywhere, including deserts, steppes, mountain slopes, sea coasts, forest areas and settlements. Different types differ in their size. The smallest owl is the sparrow owl, 17-20cm long and weighing 50-80g. The largest representative of owls is the eagle owl, which in adulthood has a body length of 60-70 cm and a weight of 2-4 kg.

This is interesting! The average life expectancy of owls in natural conditions is about ten years, but in captivity such a bird lives for about forty years, and sometimes a little more.

Owls are able to absolutely freely turn their heads 180-270 degrees, and since such a predator must be able to track down prey, the owl's eyes are located not on the sides of the head, but in front. The paws of an owl of any kind are strong and very grasping, with sharp and curved claws that allow you to grab and hold prey.

The flight of this feathered predator is almost silent, due to the special structure of the feathers. The flight speed of an owl can reach 80 km/h. About seventeen species of owls settle on the territory of our country, a small part of which lives exclusively in open areas.

Owl as a pet

It became very fashionable to have a pet as a pet after the movie "Harry Potter" was released. The Hedwig Owl has become popular and recognizable, so the prices for an exotic predatory pet have risen overnight. In fairness, it should be noted that many breeders have not been able to cope with the content of such a feathered pet, due to the difficulty of getting used to a predator home conditions.

Important! Keeping an owl at home is almost around the clock constant and hard work with a pet, as well as minor abrasions and fairly deep scratches received from the claws of a predator, even when he is in a good mood.

As practice shows, the presence of such a bird at home completely excludes the purchase of expensive furniture and exclusive interior items, since they will be hopelessly damaged in a short time. An owl is a free bird and requires a certain free space, so such a predatory pet is not at all suitable for small apartments.

Combined keeping of poultry is practiced, in which for some time the pet sits in a cage, and for some time it is released to fly in a specially equipped room.

A domestic owl is not able to just sit quietly on a perch in splendid isolation. Without attention from its owner, such a pet will scream loudly and for a long time.

Requirements for a cage or containment room

In order for the bird to feel comfortable at home, it is necessary to allocate to it, albeit a small, but separate room for regular flights. Windows in such a room must necessarily be curtained with sufficiently thick curtains, and the window must be tightened with a strong and reliable mesh. It is recommended to fix special perches on the walls, represented by wooden or iron "boughs", upholstered with a thick layer of artificial grass or carpet. Care should also be taken to create an artificial "hollow" in the form of an old and empty wooden bedside table.

Cage content is more suitable for not too large species of owl, and for large varieties, it is advisable to install an aviary made of steel bars. To reduce the likelihood of diseases caused by a lack of sunlight, the aviary should have both a darkened and a part illuminated by the rays of the sun. However, the best option for keeping a bird of prey is an aviary installed in the fresh air.

Diet than to feed a domestic owl

Absolutely any species of owls use exclusively animal food for food, represented by worms, large insects, snakes, fish and lizards. Some species prefer to eat rodents and small birds. It is important to remember that owls never eat carrion and are even ready to starve in order to end up with a complete protein food. On average, one domestic owl can eat a couple of mice per day. Once a week, it is advisable to arrange a fasting day for a bird of prey, which will prevent the development of obesity.

It is advisable to purchase a separate freezer for food storage. Among other things, the owner of an owl must be prepared for the fact that in the process of eating food, such a pet, with the help of claws and beak, mercilessly tears the food, so the insides of the prey scatter around. Experienced owl experts recommend gutting game and rodents on their own before feeding them to a domestic owl. It is necessary to give the bird meat along with bones, feathers or wool, from which the predator partially absorbs calcium and other microelements vital for the owl. Undigested leftovers are regurgitated in the form of a lump, called a pellet.

This is interesting! Owls imported from tropical countries are happy to eat fruits, various vegetation and berries, and some species are able to do without water for several months, and quench their thirst only with the blood of their prey.

Care and hygiene

Owls, regardless of species, shed annually, so the owner of such a pet must be prepared to rake out numerous feathers and owl down in large quantities. Cage maintenance involves daily replacement of water in the drinking bowl and weekly treatment of the dwelling, feeders and all accessories with non-toxic disinfectants.

Important! A domestic owl, as a rule, loves to swim, therefore, for such a feathered pet to take baths, certain conditions must be created. It is best to use a large and stable basin filled with clean water at room temperature for these purposes.

Diseases and prevention

Unfortunately, today few veterinarians are well versed in owl diseases and are able to help with recommendations for the treatment of diseases. As a rule, experienced owl owners recommend focusing on the appearance of bird droppings when determining the health status of a feathered pet, which should resemble a white puddle with dark and hard patches.

Foul-smelling, green or greenish-brown litter may be a cause for concern and a visit to the veterinarian. Among other things, you should observe the behavior of the bird. An unhealthy predator often has a complete lack or a sharp decrease in appetite, as well as lethargy and loss of coordination.

The order of owls includes only two families. These are owls and barn owls. The first, just, are real owls. These are both owls and owls. This also includes the genus of eared owls and owls. And barn owls themselves belong to the barn owl family.

Similarities between owls and other birds

Owls are generally amazing birds, very different from other birds. The only thing in which their similarity with other birds of prey can be distinguished is some of their habits while tracking down prey and directly attacking it. And perhaps, even the presence of a predatory beak and strong, tenacious and curved claws make them related.

In its habits, it is somewhat similar to a hawk. An owl is also capable of tracking prey for a long time and, just as silently and instantly grabbing it. Otherwise, there are no similarities. No other bird has eyes on the same plane. Owls only. Only owls can rotate their heads in such a way that they are able to turn it around their own body without any harm to themselves. And, yet, in their pedigree, not a single ancestor was found that is common with other families of birds.

Features of appearance and structure

Outwardly, all these birds of the owl order are similar. Representatives of different species have slight differences among themselves. Their color is especially different, which depends on the area they occupy. The color of their plumage is camouflage, it blends with the environment. They also differ in size.

The general characteristic features of the feathered order of owls are: a large round head, large eyes located on the same plane, and not on the sides, a small but strong predatory beak and long tenacious claws. Many representatives have feathered paws. By the way, the so-called “ears” of an owl are just bunches of feathers, and not the ears that they so resemble.

And, their auditory system is very interesting. They are the only birds with ear shells. And these shells are on the sides of the head. Moreover, their location is asymmetrical. Small hard feathers surrounding the owl's face are a kind of "radar" that picks up sounds and sends them to the ears. Owls have excellent hearing. And the eyesight is excellent too. By the way, they see well not only at night, but also during the day. But at night, their vision is especially sharpened.

Their eyes are arranged in such a way that they can see everything around them well. Owls, in order to observe what is in front of them, do not need to rotate their pupils. And in order to look back, they do not need to turn around completely, but just turn their heads 180 degrees, which they do without difficulty.

The owl's tail is rounded. The steering feathers are bent. These birds fly quickly and silently. And, this is due to the special structure of their feathers.

Species of owls and their habitats

Owls live all over the planet. They are not only in the Antractida. Mostly they are forest dwellers. But, some species live in the fields. Some are lovers of living near a person. Especially if due to this neighborhood there is something to profit from. For example, an eagle owl can be found everywhere. But the long-eared owl is a field resident.

The eagle owl differs in color and it is the largest representative of the family. With a growth of about 70 centimeters, by weight it can reach from 2 to 4 kilograms. The eyes of the eagle owl are bright orange. The color is dominated by copper and reddish shades. And above his eyes, feather tufts are necessarily located.

The long-eared owl is half the size of the eagle owl. Gray and brown shades in the plumage, which adorn the variegated blotches and white chest - this is it. And on her head are tufts of feathers resembling ears.

The Great Gray Owl is also a large individual, not inferior in size to eagle owls. She has a particularly large head. And her color is ashy. The owl has no feather tufts.

The smallest representative of owls is an owl. Its weight does not even reach 100 grams. And, they themselves are no more than 20 centimeters. Owls are further divided into 2 subspecies: the sparrow owl and the brownie.

Barn owl is distinguished by an unusual shape of the facial disc, which resembles a heart. The facial disc of an owl is that part of the face that is surrounded by small feathers. Barn owl weight category - up to 1 kilogram. And the growth of these birds is up to 40 centimeters. The feather color of barn owls is variegated.

A very beautiful white owl, or, as it is also called, polar. She lives in the tundra. Her color is white with black patches.

What do owls eat in nature

All owls are predators. And, they feed naturally on smaller animals. Mostly warm-blooded. The main and favorite delicacy of all of them is rodents. They especially love them. And, at night, they track down exactly them, since the mice believe that no one sees them at this time of day. But it was not there! Owl hearing is tuned exactly to the range in which they hear every mouse squeak.

In addition to rodents, they can also be impregnated with insects. But, this is only in exceptional order, and in small doses. But small hares and foxes will not escape from owls! They can catch and eat them too.

Owls eat, swallowing the whole victim, along with wool and bones. True, if the carcass is too large, then they will tear it into pieces. But, this is only if it is really too big and inconvenient to swallow. Here you can select an owl. He behaves differently while eating. He will definitely rip off the skin from the animal.

Owls eat frogs, large puffball worms. They can eat both snails and large insects.

The diet varies depending on where they live. Well, it also depends on the size of the bird. So, small rodents and insects become the food of a small owl. In general, both owls and barn owls love to live next to people. They love to eat field mice. The owl is especially voracious. Her victim, just, can become small animals.

It feeds, like its forest relatives, on animals: hares, small polar foxes (see photo of the arctic fox), ermines. And of the rodents, her menu includes lemmings. These are polar mice-voles.

"Owl" lifestyle

Owls do not make nests for themselves. And, even those of them who are engaged in construction do it reluctantly and very badly. Basically, owls occupy "houses" abandoned by other birds.

Long-eared owls build their nests right on the ground. They are field dwellers.

Unlike the chicks of other birds of prey, owls are born deaf and blind. Depending on the availability of food in the area where owls live, the number of chicks is also determined. If places abound with food, then owls can lay eggs several times a year.

Moreover, they approach this issue quite thoughtfully. The fact is that at first they can hatch several chicks, and then make another clutch. It turns out that when the parents fly away to hunt, the older chicks stay with the younger ones. They warm eggs, or newly hatched counterparts. But, in case of a hunger strike, it may turn out that they will have a bite to eat. The eggs are incubated purely by the female. But the prey for food is mainly males. This is with the exception of the case described above, when the first chicks have already been hatched. Then both parents directly take care of the food of the family.

Although owls are nocturnal, not all of them rest during the day after. And at night they are awake not only purely for the sake of hunting mice. It just so happened that these birds have quite a few ill-wishers among other birds. So, at night they not only hunt, but also hide from their unkind neighbors.

Owls in captivity: what to feed and the difficulties of keeping

If there is a desire to acquire a domestic owl, then before doing this, one should take into account some of the features of these birds. Do not forget that keeping them in a house or apartment is a little complicated. Difficulties will arise both with feeding the bird and with providing it with the necessary space. And most importantly - the owl is a nocturnal resident. Natural instincts will always prevail and it will not work to re-educate the owlet. So, he will fly and scream at night.

Still, it is necessary to take into account that it will be necessary to keep all the necessary and important things in a place inaccessible to the bird. After all, they are big fans of playing pranks and grabbing something.

You can't keep an owl in a cage! She will live in the entire apartment. And, to move her there from the nursery, you will need to carefully prepare. It is very important: close the large mirrors in the house, or even remove them altogether. The owl will try to fly through them. Windows will also need to be closed, for the same reason. And, it would be best to hang them with thick fabric curtains.

Owls are very fond of water procedures. Therefore, it would be advisable to prepare a bath for the future pet. Also, you need to make sure that the bird has a place to rest during its flights around the apartment. To do this, you will need to attach wooden shelves to the walls, or bars on which it will sit down. And - wrap these filler pads with something soft.

It is best to buy a young owlet, and not an already adult bird. It is much faster and easier to get used to a new environment for him and get used to the owner. Usually, owls become attached to one person.

And, you need to buy a bird in a special nursery. So you can be sure that she is not caught by poachers and that she is in good health. The nursery will have to provide all the necessary documents.

And moving an owl to a new place of residence would be best done in a box with small holes that provide access to fresh air during its journey, but without “windows”. This is so that the bird is not scared.

When the owl is already in the house, the first thing to do is to let her get comfortable and try not to scare her. Food and water will have to be prepared for her arrival. But, first, let the owlet look around on its own, without someone else's intervention, for several hours. Then it will be possible to feed him. And if you give food from your hands, then the rapprochement will be much faster. The owl will have a sense of trust in the person.

Now about the nutrition of an owl at home. She will not eat porridge, or other foods offered to her. She is a predator. And, feed it will have meat. But, there is a peculiarity here. It will be necessary to provide the winged pet with completely carcasses of chickens, or others. The main thing is that they are whole. You will need to purchase them fresh. It is best if the bird is slaughtered on the same day. It is very important for an owl to eat with feathers and bones. At home, they will do it in the same way as in nature. This is how the digestive system of these birds works.

Well, if the place of residence is not a city apartment, but a rural area. Nevertheless, it is much easier to feed a domestic predator there. After all, you can keep chickens on your own. Yes, she can eat rodents. That is why some representatives of this family so often settle near a person and near fields. After all, there, in addition to field mice, you can also drag a chicken from the yard.

But in the city you will have to regularly buy food for her. A small owl per day should eat at least two carcasses.

Another feature of the digestive processes in owls: some time after eating, they regurgitate what has not been digested. These are bones, wool, feathers. It is worth paying attention to this. Burping should be mandatory. And, if traces of blood are found in it, or they exude a very unpleasant odor, then this will indicate that the bird is sick. Another cause for concern may be the color of the litter. In healthy birds, it is thickish, but not too thick, and white.

Signs of an owl's illness can be both loss of appetite and a bad mood of a pet. If the owl does not fly, but only sits with its eyes closed, it means that it is sick.

It is best to buy for keeping small owls, barn owls, eared owls in the house.

Types of owls, names and photos

In the owl family, 3 subfamilies, 30 genera and 214 species are distinguished, the most common of which are:

long-eared owl ( Asio otus)

The bird has a length of 31-36 centimeters. The wingspan reaches 86-98 cm. The color of this species of owl is dominated by a gray-brown hue with variegated spots, the chest is white. Dark spots are located on the upper side of the body, transverse stripes stand out on the underside. On the head of a long-eared owl are large ear tufts, which consist of six feathers.

It lives in coniferous forests, prefers European countries or northern Asia as nesting sites, flies to northern Africa for wintering. The long-eared owl feeds on rodents, voles, insects and birds.

Great Owl ( Strix nebulosa)

A large bird with a length of 80 cm and a wingspan of 1.5 meters. The big-headed bird has a smoky gray color. There are dark stripes around the yellow eyes of an owl.

The owl feeds on rodents and. For nesting, it chooses the nests of hawks and buzzards; it does not build nests itself. The black spot under the bird's beak looks like a beard, hence the name of the bird. The bird does not have feather ears; a white collar is located on the neck. The underside of the wings hides dark stripes.

The gray owl lives in the zone of taiga and mountain forests in the Baltic countries, in the European part of Russia, in Siberia, on Sakhalin, in Mongolia.

Owl ( Bubo bubo)

It has a length of 60-75 cm, a wingspan of 160-190 cm. The weight of a male owl reaches 2.1-2.7 kg, the weight of females is 3-3.2 kg. The eagle owl is the largest bird in the owl order. The plumage of the predator is dominated by reddish and ocher colors, the owl's eyes are bright orange, and there are bunches of elongated feathers above the eyes.

Eagle owls live in the forests and steppes of Eurasia, prey on rodents, mice, hedgehogs, hares, birds and other vertebrates.

Sparrow Owl ( Glaucidium passerinum)

The body length of the owl is 15-19 cm, the wingspan reaches 35-40 cm. The weight reaches 55-80 g. At the same time, males are smaller than females. The color of the owl has a gray-brown or dark brown color, white mottles are clearly distinguished on the feathers, larger on the back and small on the head. The bottom of the bird has a white color with longitudinal stripes of a brown hue. The tail is grey-brown with 5 narrow stripes. The head is small and has a round and slightly flattened shape; the owl has no ears. Around the eyes of the pygmy owl are white and brown rings. The eyes of the bird are yellow, there are white eyebrows above the eyes. The claws of the pygmy owl are black or yellow in color. The paws are fully feathered, down to the claws.

Little owl ( Athene noctua)

A small bird with a length of 25 cm and a weight of about 150-170 g. The color of the plumage of females and males is the same. The back of the bird has a light brown or sand color. Brown longitudinal variegated spots stand out on the white belly of the owl. Round white spots are located on the shoulder feathers.

The little owl lives in the south and in the center of Europe, in the north of Africa and in the southern Asian countries. In Russia, the owl is found mainly in the center and south of the European part, in the Southern Altai and Transbaikalia. Birds live in steppe and desert areas, build nests in stones and burrows. The little owl feeds on insects, lizards, rodents, and sometimes birds.

barn owl ( Tyto alba)

It differs from other species of owls in its heart-shaped facial disc. The length of the barn owl reaches 34-39 centimeters with a wingspan of 80-95 cm. The weight of a bird of prey is 190-700 grams. The color of the barn owl is red with numerous transverse mottles, stripes and specks. In this case, the color depends on the habitat of the bird. The tail of the bird is short. The barn owl's ears have an unusual asymmetrical arrangement: if the left one is at the level of the forehead, then the right one approaches the nostrils. Thanks to this feature, the bird hears very well.

Barn owl lives on all continents, except for cold Antarctica. In Russia, lives only on the territory of the Kaliningrad region.

Snowy owl (snowy owl) ( Bubo scandiacus, Nyctea scandiaca)

It has a body length of 55 to 70 cm, the weight of the bird is 2-3 kg. The wingspan reaches 143-166 cm. The color of the bird that lives in the tundra zone serves as a disguise for it, so white colors with dark spots predominate in it. The beak of the snowy owl is black, the eyes are bright yellow. The paws of the predator are completely pubescent.

The polar owl lives in Eurasia, North America, Greenland, on the islands of the Arctic Ocean. The white owl feeds on rodents, lemmings, hares, white partridges, geese, and fish. White owls are listed in the Red Book.

hawk owl ( Surnia ulula)

It lives in forest regions in Europe, North America and Asia. In Russia, it is found in Kamchatka, in the Magadan region, in Chukotka, on the coast of the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk. It feeds on rodents (mice, lemmings, voles), sometimes preys on squirrels, hazel grouse, black grouse, partridges and other birds.

The length of the bird reaches 45 cm. The tail of the bird is long, the color is brown-brown with white spots, thin stripes are located at the bottom of the body. The eyes and beak of the hawk owl are yellow.

Where do owls live?

Owls live all over the world, not only in Antarctica. 17 species of owls live in Russia. A large number of these birds can be found in forests, and only a few of them live in open areas.

Basically, the owl lives in hollows and nests. The eagle owl finds a home almost everywhere: in forests, mountains, steppes and deserts. The long-eared owl lives in all kinds of fields, as it hunts in open areas, but it creates its nests only in the forest. The white owl lives in the tundra, flies far to the south in winter, does not like wooded places. The Great Gray Owl lives only in dense taiga forests. Owl species such as barn owl and little owl find a home under roofs and in attics.

What does an owl eat?

The question of what an owl bird eats in nature is of interest to many people. This bird, both in its natural habitat and in captivity, eats rodents, small birds, insects, and animals. The diet depends on the habitat of the owl. Owls of medium and large sizes feed on rats), and birds living in coastal areas eat fish, crabs and mussels. Owls living in tropical countries eat fruits, plants and berries. An owl bird can live for several months without water, quenching its thirst with the blood of its victims.

In our lives, we often remember owls, and with the spread of the Internet, touching videos with owls have become even more. Traditionally, the image of an owl is associated with wisdom and knowledge, often appearing on the emblems of educational institutions. For example, a crystal owl is a prize in the What? Where? When?" on the 1st channel, where experts fight with the audience answering their complex intellectual questions.

Speaking of owls, we do not specify their specific species, but on the whole planet they are over 420 species. All of them are united by the fact that these predators hunt at night, silently flying in search of prey. They have large round eyes and a short, predatory beak, while their coloring is meant to camouflage them among the branches of trees.

The Owl family on the territory of the Russian Federation is represented by 11 genera: Eagle Owls, Fish Owls, Snowy Owls, Tawny Owls, Long-eared Owls, Hawk Owls, Scoops, Needle-legged Owls, Upland Owls, Owls, Owls. In cities, you can most often meet Owls, they often fly there in severe frosts, since the city is a little warmer. There they hunt local sparrows and tits. People call all these predators owls, and they are right, since they are all from the same family - Owls. But let's see how the owl differs from other owls?

Appearance

The eagle owl is the largest representative of the Owl family. The rest of the owls are usually larger than the pigeon, but their wingspan is from 60 cm to 1 meter. And the wingspan of the eagle owl reaches 2 meters, 60-75 cm is the body length of the owl, and its weight can vary from 2.1 to 3.2 kg. And females are heavier than males. The color of the eagle owl can vary depending on the area in which he lives, in the steppe regions they are clay yellow, in Siberia they are almost white, and the color from dark red to golden ocher is typical for the European part of Russia. A characteristic feature of the owl is also feathered fingers. It is also characterized by long dark feather ears. They are also found in the long-eared owl, which is much smaller, but not characteristic of other birds and owls.

Habitat

Owls live all over the planet, they can be found in the deep north, in deserts, steppes, mountains, by the sea and even in cities. They can be found anywhere on the planet, except for the North Pole and Antarctica. Mostly owls settle in forests, only a few, for example, Swamps, choose open sites to build nests.

The eagle owl is less common. Its main habitat is concentrated in Eurasia. It is found from the western borders to the Sea of Okhotsk. Absent in the northern forest-tundra and tundra parts of Russia. Lives in taiga, forests, steppes and even deserts. Eagle owl rarely settles in cities, although he is not afraid of a person. Prefers secluded places for nests, among rocks and stones with many hills and ravines around.

Feed

Mostly owls hunt at night, although the Snowy and Hawk Owls forage during the day, and the Little Owl can hunt at any time of the day. The main food of owls are small rodents, smaller owls feed on large insects. Sometimes large species of owls catch small birds. Owls have very sensitive hearing, which allows them to hunt in complete darkness. Flying silently on the ground, the owl can make a distinctive call that often scares away its further prey.

Eagle owl prefers to hunt in open areas at night. Its prey is often larger than that of other owls: birds, fish, mouse-like rodents, hedgehogs, and even rabbits and hares. The predator swallows small prey whole with wool and giblets, dismembers larger prey into pieces, for which it returns later. With hedgehogs, before use, it removes the skin with needles, although it can sometimes be swallowed along with them. The eagle owl easily switches from one type of food to another, which makes it easier for him to adapt and survive.

Nesting features

Owls occupy other people's nests, often without even upgrading them in any way. They can also lay their eggs in a rock crevice, in an abandoned animal burrow, or in a hole in a wall, picking up a secluded spot. The Ural Owl can occupy human-built owl houses. And in the attics of houses or under the roofs, a little owl or a barn owl can settle.

Eagle owl nests on the ground, and does not build a nest, but simply selects a small piece of land, digs a hole and lays eggs there. It does not even have a bedding made of wool; pellets can play its role in the future. Sometimes an eagle owl can take someone else's old nest.

Significance in culture

Since ancient times, owls have been poorly studied, and their rare appearance near human habitation was often associated with death or misfortune, so people expelled owls. In ancient myths and legends, one can find an unusually negative interpretation of the image of an owl. But with the development of the natural sciences, owls have ceased to frighten people so much. It turned out that they are useful, exterminating mice from the fields, and they were quickly brought into the protected category of birds.

Owls and eagle owls are often sung in songs, they are happy to take their names for their pseudonyms, song and movie titles. Most often, owls and owls are associated with wisdom and knowledge. The folklore meaning of the eagle owl is a wise adviser, a bearer of sacred knowledge. In Slavic mythology, owls were associated with the underworld, seeing them as the owners of underground wealth.

Owls are often called people who love to sleep until dinner. And this is a direct comparison with a bird of prey that hunts at night and sleeps during the day. Owls have always attracted the attention of man: a large beautiful bird, silently flying low above the ground, turning its head 270 degrees. Cute owl videos are getting more and more popular. And after the Harry Potter book, many wanted to get their own owl, although they do not tolerate captivity very well. The owl is found all over the planet, and therefore is often reflected in myths and legends, literature and folklore of various peoples of the world.

Here we will stop on birds of prey.
Mostly they breed owls. It is very difficult to pass by a cute fluffy creature with huge eyes. People buy owls at the infamous "Bird Market" or bring owls from the forest, believing that they are "lost", "fell out of the nest." You can talk about the "Bird Market" endlessly. Obsessed with a thirst for profit, sellers recklessly lie to buyers in the hope of a profitable sale. Naturally. After all, few people want to keep a bird at home, which spoils a lot, yells at night and eats only mice. Moreover, it has all the "charms" of a wild animal - as a rule, sellers assure that owls are grown in nurseries, but in reality - all birds are caught by poachers. So people buy a pet, literally “stuffed” with helminths and various infections. And in birds, most diseases are asymptomatic and rapidly - yesterday the bird ate well and was active, and today it lies at the bottom of the cage.

Photo 1. Owl

Therefore, before acquiring an owl, think carefully, weigh your capabilities - do they match your desires?
So, owls. The owl is a nocturnal predator. This already says a lot - the main activity of the bird is precisely in the late evening, at night and in the early morning. At this time, owls hunt in nature. So in captivity it will be the same - from evening to morning the owl will rattle something, shout (especially during the mating season) preventing you from resting. So it is best to start an owl for people who lead a predominantly “nightly” lifestyle. Now let's deal with the concept of "predator". It is clear that such a bird cannot be fed with cereals, predators eat meat. But even here there is a difficulty - the owl's digestion is arranged in such a way that it needs to eat the whole carcass of a rodent or bird as a whole - with feathers, fur, bones. Accordingly, feeding chicken or beef disappears - get ready for the purchase of mice, day old chickens, quails. And they cost a lot and getting in the right amount is a problem.

Photo 2

But, let's say that the nightly screams and the specifics of the diet of owls do not scare you and you still want to get an owl. Then, first of all, you need to decide what kind of owl you can keep. The fact is that there are many and different owls - from small-sized owls (photo) to a huge owl (photo). Medium-sized owls are the gray owl (photo) and the Ural owl (photo). But still, for an ordinary city apartment, the owls are too big, they will need a lot of space for flights, and even if you have spacious rooms, the owl will still upholster the feather. Therefore, it is optimal to keep long-eared owls (photo), short-eared owls (photo) barn owls (photo) or the aforementioned owls.

Photo 3. Barn owl

Before you buy an owl, arrange an apartment for her in a suitable way. Yes Yes. Your apartment, not a cage in the apartment, because You can't keep owls in cages. An owl will certainly beat a feather on the bars, injure the wax (a soft place above the beak), and earn namin on its paws.

How to prepare a room for an owl.
First of all, you should remove all objects that an owl can knock over, tear, and stain. Owls love to play, so keep in mind that you will have to strictly monitor the location of your belongings, especially socks and documents. Leave unattended - the owl will certainly pick up the "toy" and goodbye passport! The tulle on the windows needs to be replaced with thick curtains, because. in tulle, an owl can easily get tangled and, while it fights, it will break its paws or wings, or simply die, hanging upside down for several hours. Large mirrors should be removed or curtained (windows too), otherwise the owl may be seriously injured trying to fly through the glass.

Photo 4. Owls

It is necessary to nail "perches" on the walls - wooden or iron "sticks", always upholstered with something soft - for example, artificial grass "astroturf" or, at worst, carpet. Also, think over a place for a bath in advance - owls love to wash, for this they are given shallow wide containers of water (cat litter trays with high sides are perfect).

So the place is ready. Now you need to think about food for the owl. As I wrote above, owls must be fed with the carcasses of rodents and birds, and freshly slaughtered. Of course, you can also give thawed carcasses, but “live” food must be present in the diet, because. frozen meat loses some essential trace elements.

Photo 5. Long-eared owl

You can buy rodents at a pet store, but the prices there “bite” and most often there is not the right amount. After all, even a medium-sized eared owl eats at least two mice per day. So it is better to buy mice in bulk at the Bird Market. You can also buy day old chicks and quails there. Keep in mind that if mice and chickens can be given to an owl without carcass preparation, then the quail must be opened and the insides carefully removed and the head and legs cut off. The fact is that these birds often have various diseases that can be transmitted to your owl during a meal.

Photo 6. Long-eared owl chick

Do you still want to have an owl at home? Then about buying:
Owls must be purchased in official nurseries, making sure that when you buy you have all the documents for an owl and the number on the document matches the number stamped on the ring (birds are ringed in nurseries). Thus, you will be insured against the removal of birds (catching and keeping wild birds is prohibited by law), moreover, birds from nurseries are more tame and healthy. Although immediately after acquiring an owl, it is necessary to show the owl to a veterinarian, pass the necessary tests, just in case, take an x-ray. By the way, not every veterinary clinic has a veterinarian who understands birds. In Moscow, there is a veterinarian-ornithologist at the White Fang clinic and at the Moscow Zoo, in the Moscow region, birds are taken at the Cobra clinic, which is located in Krasnogorsk.

As a rule, in the nursery you will be offered a choice of the most common species - this is a long-eared owl, a short-eared owl, a gray owl, an owl (there is also a gray owl (photo), but it is large for an apartment) and various owls. When choosing the type of owl, you should remember that even a small eared owl needs a lot of space (at least a room), so I strongly do not recommend purchasing long-tailed owls, bearded owls, and even more so an eagle owl. Small owls are no worse than larger species, they are just as sociable and playful, and they are not inferior in beauty to plumage. It is better to buy a very young owlet, he will quickly get used to his hands, and like all cubs, owlets are very funny. It is quite easy to distinguish a chick from an adult - the owls are covered with delicate fluff, the older owls are already beginning to grow with an “adult” feather, but their tails are noticeably shorter than those of adults, and in some places the fluff is still preserved. It is necessary to transport an owl in a closed spacious box (a cat carrier is not the best option, because the owl will see through the carrying grate, respectively, it will get frightened out of habit and begin to fight). At the bottom of the box you need to lay a soft diaper, cut a few very small holes in the walls of the box for air access. If an owl is purchased in winter, then the time spent on the street should be limited as much as possible, otherwise there is a risk of catching a cold.

When you arrive home, do not scare the owl, let it look around. To do this, simply open the box and leave the bird alone for a while.
After a couple of hours, you can offer the owlet food and water. Sometimes the owls cannot yet tear apart the carcasses, so the carcass must be finely chopped. Place the water so that the owlet sees it perfectly - when he pays attention to the bathing suit - chat in the water with your hand, thus showing the presence of water in the container. Over time, the owlet will determine whether there is water, but while it is small and in an unusual environment, you should pay much more attention to it, without disturbing or frightening it - try not to pick it up, do not make excessively sudden movements, do not shout.

Always offer food from your hands - so the owl will get used to you faster.
Carefully monitor the digestion and appearance of the pet. After each meal, the owl should discard the pellet. The pellet is the undigested bones, wool and feathers that the birds regurgitate about 10 hours after feeding. If there is no pellet, this is a reason to worry about the health of the pet. You should also inspect the pellets - they should not have blood on them, the pellet should not smell bad. Pay attention to the droppings - normal owl droppings are a white "puddle" with a little bit of darker, harder droppings. If the droppings become foul-smelling, yellow or brown, or thinner, contact your veterinarian.
The normal behavior of a healthy owl is very different from the behavior of a diseased owl. A sick bird loses its appetite, becomes apathetic, sits for hours with its eyes closed, squints, half covering its eyes with its lower eyelid, the feather, especially under the tail, sticks together and becomes dirty. All of the above are signs of a disease. Therefore, in such cases, the owl should be shown to the veterinarian as soon as possible. Diseases in birds proceed rapidly, there is not a minute to lose.

Yulia Mikhailina,
experienced owl owner