In general eagles tend to be significantly larger than most owls, though certain types of owls can grow to be as large as eagles. When it comes to sheer size and strength, eagles definitely come out on top. Eagles also have a larger wingspan than owls, though both of these animals are very efficient aerial hunters when it comes to land prey.

Another one of the more glaring differences between owls and eagles is that owls tend to be far-sighted while eagles are near-sighted. While for the most part owls do not grow to be as large eagles, this is not always the case.

Despite the fact that most owls hunt mostly at night, they do not have daytime blindness. These animals simply have excellent night vision and use it to their advantage when they are hunting their prey.

This is a common misconception which is rooted in the fact that owls are nocturnal creatures which hunt at night, though that does not mean that they have poor daytime vision. Actually owls have extremely sharp vision during both the day and nighttime, making them extremely efficient at spotting their prey even in the dark, making it easier to get small animals without warning.

Similar to other cultures and countries, many people from Mexico believe that owls are a sign of death or sickness as well as bad luck. One Mexican saying roughly translates into “When the owl cries, the Indian dies”. Mexicans along with people from other parts of the world have historically regarded as the cry of appearance of an owl as a bad omen which suggests that death is near.

To this day there are still a number of people in small Mexican towns which fear the owl and genuinely believe the old superstitions which state that the owl is a symbol of death, sickness, and bad luck to those who are visited by one.

Although owls are viewed differently depending on the tribe of Native American you are looking at, the Navajos viewed owls as a symbol of death to others. One traditional Native American view is that if an owl came close to someone who was ill or in a hospital, it meant that person was going to die very soon.

For many Native Americans owls are closely associated with death and bad spirits, though this is not necessarily the case for all tribes. Native Americans associate different things with different animals and for many of them owls mean death.

There are certain animals such as owls which are considered to be bad omens for those who follow the ways of Islam. The Book of Allaah makes numerous references to omens with regards to the sound of various animals, including that of owls.

Conversely there are also certain animals which are considered to be good luck in Islam, though owls are certainly not one of them. To this day some people whose beliefs are somewhat superstitious believe that seeing or hearing an owl is a bad omen of things to come and therefore considered to be bad luck.

The term “bird of prey” refers to birds that both hunt and feed on animals as well as birds that eat various small insects. A majority of animals that are considered to be “birds of prey” have large curved talons for picking up other animals which they hunt. Owls are certainly a bird of prey because they match that very description.

Animals such as gulls and storks, while they may have some of the bird of prey characteristics, are not classified as such because they are able to eat large fish. Owls are also considered to be birds of prey because they have exceptional eyesight, hunting mostly at night.

Although there are some species of owls which are in fact endangered, this is not true for all of them. The burrowing owl is considered to be endangered and can be found mostly in the deserts, grasslands, and prairies of the United States. This particular species of owl has been dropping rapidly in numbers over the years and is considered to be one of the most endangered owls in the country.

Some of the other species of owls which are classified as being endangered includes the Pygmy owl, forest owlet, and the Angouan scops-owl. These owls are endangered for different reasons, though most of them share common problems such as reduced burrow availability as well as a significant loss of habitat.

Many creatures found in nature are highly aggressive, and will attack humans on site. Others are timid and will flee at the first hint of danger.

So what about owls? Are owls aggressive?

Well, it really depends on the circumstances.

When nesting, or caring for their young, owls can be very aggressive. Some owls have been known to attack humans, although it is not a common occurrence.

When alarmed, most owls will stand straight up and try to make themselves appear larger than they normally would. If you see an owl doing this, it’s probably best to back away and leave it alone.

We’ve all heard the lore about the “wise old owl” bestowing his knowledge upon others, but is there any truth to it? Are owls actually smart?

Sadly, most owls are not particularly intelligent. Birds are not very smart in general, and most owls actually fall into the lower range of bird intelligence.

It is thought by some that the reason for the belief that owls are smart comes from the placement of their eyes. Their binocular vision, with eyes in the front of their heads, is similar to primates and other highly intelligent animals.

There are, however, some uncommonly smart birds, such as crows and ravens. The latter of which has even been known to solve simple puzzles and use basic tools to get at food.

Some animals are nocturnal, meaning they are only active during the night and sleep during the day. Others are diurnal, active during the day and sleeping at night.

What about owls? Are owls nocturnal?

For the most part, yes they are. There are over 200 species of owl, and all but a few are completely nocturnal.

Some exceptions to this rule include the Burrowing Owl and the Shored-eared Owl, which are considered diurnal.

There are even some owls which fit into neither category!

For instance, the Pygmy Owl is considered to be crepuscular, which means it is active only at dawn and dusk,.