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Rare child owls discover their Oregon Zoo habitat
Rocky and Banff are the mother and father of younger snowy owls at the Oregon Zoo’s Great Northwest habitat. See the new child owlets discover their habitat and obtain an examination after hatching final month!
Folklore says owls are clever, however are they, actually?
It’s commonplace to grasp that owls are nocturnal.
But the place did the wisdom attribute of these birds originate — and why have we transferred that trait to people who stay lengthy lives?
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The notion of owls as clever birds has its roots in Ancient Greece and mythology.
“Owls have enthralled humanity for centuries, earning a reputation for wisdom that persists into modern society,” mentioned Chad Witko, senior coordinator, avian biology of the National Audubon Society’s Migratory Bird Initiative, who relies in Windham County, Vermont.
A barred owl rests in a tree in the Atchafalya Basin in southern Louisiana. Barred owls are primarily nocturnal and normally sleep throughout the day. The notion of owls as clever birds has its roots in Ancient Greece and mythology. (Jon G. Fuller/VWPics/Universal Images Group through Getty Images)
While some cultures view owls in a different way, many — together with Western traditions — take into account them symbols of wisdom, mentioned Witko.
“This perception finds roots partially in Ancient Greece, where Athena, the goddess of wisdom, is often depicted with an owl symbolizing her ability to see the whole truth,” he mentioned.
This notion of wisdom is deeply rooted of their biology, conduct and hanging look, he additionally mentioned.
What does look need to do with it?
Unlike many birds with eyes on the sides of their heads, owls have forward-facing eyes set towards a flat facial disc of feathers, resembling a human or child-like face, Witko instructed Fox News Digital.
“Their large, fixed eyes and ability to rotate their heads up to 270 degrees give owls an appearance of attentiveness and observance,” he mentioned.
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And when you’ve seen a perched owl, he mentioned, “it is hard not to view them looking at us, peering through us as they sit calmly and take in the world with undivided attention.”
What are another attributes of these birds?
Owls possess exceptional searching talents, navigating the darkness with silent grace, mentioned Witko.
They boast specifically tailored feathers that permit them to method their prey undetected, whereas acute listening to helps them pinpoint motion in the open, underneath vegetation or beneath a layer of snow.
An owl named Sindar, a long-eared owl, is proven preparing for Halloween on a carved pumpkin at The Scottish Owl Centre. (SWNS)
“Despite these attributes, scientific studies on owl intelligence are limited compared to studies on birds like parrots, starlings and corvids,” he famous.
“These birds are social creatures, which often equates to larger brains and higher intelligence to communicate with each other and build social systems.”
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Owls by nature are largely solitary exterior the breeding season — and a lot of this hen’s mind is devoted to elevated talents to see and hear and a lot much less for problem-solving or social constructing, Witko instructed Fox News Digital.
Where are owls discovered?
Owls are adaptable birds and can stay in many sorts of habitats.
They’re discovered throughout the world, from the Arctic to the tropics, and are in a position to survive in environments that will be troublesome for different animals to stay in, in line with Medium.
“Owls inhabit diverse habitats worldwide, on every continent except Antarctica.”
“Owls inhabit diverse habitats worldwide, on every continent except Antarctica, from the Arctic tundra to tropical rainforests, even major cities, with 247 species recognized globally,” mentioned Witko.
Close-up portrait of an incredible horned owl. “Owls inhabit diverse habitats worldwide, on every continent except Antarctica, from the Arctic tundra to tropical rainforests.” (iStock)
The United States and Canada commonly host almost 20 species, he mentioned.
Regardless of the place they’re discovered, owls as we speak face quite a few conservation challenges — together with habitat loss, local weather change and publicity to pesticides and rodenticides, mentioned Witko.
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“Understanding their movements through tracking technologies aids conservation efforts,” he mentioned. “By learning more about owl migration, we can better conserve these majestic birds and the ecosystems they inhabit.”
Why can we name older people ‘wise old owls’?
References to owls as being clever are present in the whole lot from Homer’s “The Iliad” to “Winnie the Pooh” by A.A. Milne.
While it’s true they’re standout hunters in the meals chain, owls in all probability aren’t any smarter than lots of different birds, famous Mental Floss.
A uncommon snowy owl appears down from its perch excessive atop the giant marble orb of the Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain at the entrance to Union Station in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
One examine even revealed that the species of nice grey owls repeatedly failed a easy cognitive take a look at — pulling a string to get a deal with — that a number of different hen species had solved efficiently, the identical supply mentioned.
Still, although owls might not possess the intelligence of some birds or be clever in a human sense, Witko instructed Fox News Digital their distinctive variations and ecological significance make them “invaluable symbols of the natural world.”
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Some of the folklore surrounding the assumption that owls are clever is spun from the nursery rhyme “A Wise Old Owl.”
It reads: “A wise old owl lived in an oak. The more he saw, the less he spoke / The less he spoke, the more he heard. Why can’t we all be like that wise old bird?”
In American tradition, there stays an affiliation between wisdom and ageing — which has its foundation in biology.
References to owls as clever are present in the whole lot from Homer’s “The Iliad” to “Winnie the Pooh” by A.A. Milne — and references to older human beings as clever outdated owls proceed to persist. (iStock)
As people age, the thoughts additional develops — a direct byproduct of having lived longer and skilled extra issues, Psychology Today indicated.
“Older people are usually more proficient than young people in certain dimensions of cognition — particularly those that involve different ways to solve problems, as well as life planning and making future goals,” mentioned the identical supply.
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