While owls sometimes utilize their wings to jump by using the air which flows under them, it isn’t jumping in the way that most of us think of it. This is just another way for an owl to swoop down on its prey when they spot something on the ground that looks appetizing.

If an owl wants to ‘jump’, it usually gives its wings a few flaps in order to get the necessary extra movement. Owls are amazing hunters and their ability to fly gracefully and quickly through the air is part of what makes them able to get their prey on the ground before it even knows what has happened.

Although the diet of an owl depends on the species, these animals have certainly been known to eat insects as well as worms, spiders, lizards, frogs, and even small birds. Owls are able to kill and eat prey that is just as large if not larger than they are. These animals are extremely efficient hunters, and with keen night vision as well as razor sharp talons, they are able to spot prey from a very long distance.

When an owl sees an insect or some other type of prey on the ground, they swoop in and knock it down with its talons. If their prey is not immediately killed, the owl snaps its neck or finds another way of killing the creature before swallowing it whole.

Owls are able to turn their heads anywhere between 180 and 270 degrees. Despite the popular myth that owls can turn their heads 360 degrees around, it simply isn’t true. It may look like owls can turn their heads all the way around because of how far they able to turn it, then snapping back into the frontward facing position so quickly.

The ability to turn their heads so far to the side makes these creatures excellent hunters, because they are able to quickly spot prey on the ground while atop a tree or flying through the air.

Owls do not in fact have teeth but rather a long sharp beak. These animals swallow their prey whole, though they do tend to tear the animals they catch into smaller pieces before they swallow them. Later on the owl throws back up certain indigestible parts of their prey, such as bone fragments as well as feather and fur.

Although it may be true that owls do not have teeth, their razor sharp beak and talons make for excellent hunting weapons. Owls are actually able to eat some animals which are twice their size, all without a single tooth.

Moon blinking is actually a myth which states that owls can become hypnotized by the moon, forced to sleep and completely obliterating their free will. While it may be true that moon blinking doesn’t actually exist outside of fiction, there are other myths related to the moon, such as that sleeping under a full moon can cause a person to lose their sanity.

The word “lunacy” is even derived from “lunar” which refers to the moon. There is however a condition known as “nyctalopia”, which renders a person or animal unable to see in the darkness.

Although owls do not usually fly in groups, when there is more than one of them together, it is referred to as a “parliament”. Owls are very efficient hunters, partially because they are able to fly so quietly. With the way the air flows over their wings, the feathers muffle the sound of the wind passing over. This makes owls very good at catching their prey, because often times they don’t even see them coming. Owls have large rounded wings, though they are very light, which is yet another reason why they can fly through the air without hardly making a sound.

For the most part only coastal owls will eat fish, while inland owls tend to eat other things, such as small rodents, snakes, and insects. Some owls are able to eat animals which are even larger than they area. With powerful talons and keen eyesight, these nocturnal birds are extremely efficient hunters, able to swoop down and pick fish right out of the water.

Some owls have even been known to eat small foxes as well as mice. An owl’s diet is directly tied in with the geography they are in, which is why coastal owls are known for eating the occasional fish.

Some owls have been known to prey on chickens if they are in the area, though they are not a normal part of an owl’s diet. Those who keep chickens on their property might want to be aware of any owls in the area, as some of them do tend to go after them under the right circumstances.

The Great-Horned owl is especially fond of chickens and does sometimes prey on them if they are close by. It is hard to say whether or not different types of owls will go after chickens around their nesting area, though the Great-Horned owl has been known to.

Owls do in fact sometimes eat snakes, especially the screech owl which tends to grab smaller sized snakes and bring them back to the nest while they are still alive. These snakes serve a very important purpose in the nest of an owl, eating all of the vermin which accumulate as a result of the decaying animals which serve as prey for the owls. This keeps the nest nice and clean.

A lot of smaller animals such as raccoons, snakes, squirrels, and even some insects are fair game for the owl. While the diet of an owl depends on the individual species, snakes are definitely a common delicacy for these birds of prey.

Although the eating habits of owls differ slightly depending on the specific species, barred owls have been known to eat bats. Owls eat everything from bats to skunks and even squirrels. While it is true that owls usually stick to eating rodents and insects on the ground, this is not always the case.

Sometimes owls can eat animals that are almost as large as or even larger than they are, depending on which species it is.

Some of the other natural predators of bats include snakes, rodents, and raccoons. A majority of owls maintain a regular diet and typically eat the same animals, though some have been known to deviate from the norm and eat these winged creatures of the night.