The Topic: Owls If you need to find websites about individual types or species of owls, then click here (Specific Types of Owls) to connect to our companion webpage. There you will find lots of websites - - too many to fit here.   Easier - An owl is a type of bird that has a round head, large eyes, and a short, hooked bill. Owls usually fly and hunt at night. They catch and eat mice, other small animals, and birds.   Harder - Owls are a bird-type that usually live and hunt alone. Some owls can see well enough in sunlight to hunt by day as well as by night; however, the majority of owl species hunt for food at night. Most night-hunting owls have keen vision in the dark; however, some have such sensitive hearing that they rely very little on vision. These owls locate and catch mice, voles, and other small mammals in total darkness by listening to the rustling noise the animals make running through the forest. Owls eat mostly mammals. The larger owls catch rabbits and squirrels, and the smaller ones catch mice, rats, and shrews. Some owls also hunt a few birds and insects; others have been known to take fish from shallow waters. Like hawks, owls tear large prey into pieces when they eat it. If the prey is small enough, they swallow it whole. They later cough up pellets of undigested bones, fur, scales, and feathers. These owl pellets are found under their nests and roosting areas.   There are about 145 different species of owls. They are found throughout the tropical, temperate, and subarctic regions of the world and on many oceanic islands. The smallest species is the tiny elf owl, measuring about 6 inches (15 centimeters) long, that lives in Southwestern United States and western Mexico. The largest species is the great gray owl that lives deep in woods of Canada and Alaska as far north as trees grow. Gray owls grow to about 30 inches (76 centimeters) long and have a wingspread of 54 to 60 inches (137 to 152 centimeters).   Jennifer's Owl Page http://oz.uc.edu/~verriljr/ This site is devoted to owl-related links and information. It has some hard-to-find resources for other owl enthusiasts. Other Sites: 2) Lou's Owl Page http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/2016/   Owling http://owling.com/ This great website contains information including sounds, video, and great photographs of making types of owls. It focuses on the owls of North and Central America.   Owl Pages http://www.owlpages.com/ This is a comprehensive site with information and links about all things owl-ley. Other Comprehensive Websites: 2) Barn Owl Headquarters http://members.tripod.com/~Tommy51/ 3) Information on Owls http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~au/owl.htm 4) Society for the Conservation and Research of Owls http://www.scro.comp-net-creations.net/ 5) World Owl Trust http://www.owls.org/   Owls Theme Page from Gander Academy http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/owls.htm This website is a great resource for students, teachers, and anyone interested in learning about owls. It contains information about different owl species, owl myths, owl pellets, activities, and lots more.   After visiting lots of the owl websites, complete one or more of the following activities:   Complete An Owl WebQuest. Adapt of follow the instructions found at the following webQuest project sites: 1) Great Horned Owl WebQuest by C. Wigmore (Grades 4-6) http://www.qesn.meq.gouv.qc.ca/schools/pcartier/owlquest.htm 2) Hoo Am I? by S. Palahicky (Grade 4) http://web.mala.bc.ca/webquests3/owls/main.html 3) Owl Zoo http://www.campbell.k12.ky.us/links/webquest/science/owlzoo.html 4) Owls: 'Hoo-Hoo' Are We? by S. Barwick (Grade 4) http://www.esu9.org/~webquest/Stephanieswebquest.html   Create An Owl Poster. To view lots of close-up photos of different owls, go to sites like Owls and Lou's Owl Page. Then create a poster featuring your favorite owl.   Write An Owl Story. Start by deciding on one or more owl characters. Give your character(s) interesting and/or unique names. Decide on a setting for your story - - will it be outdoors, in a woodland, wetland, or desert? Or will your owl live in a more unnatural setting? What kind of problem(s) will the owl meet and how will they be handled? Decide on a neat conclusion. Now write the first draft of your story. Examine the story - - does it make sense/ Are there any parts that are hard to understand? Is it interesting? Have you used the best wording? Is there anything missing? Edit and revise it until you are satisfied. Consider adding some key illustrations. Share/publish the final copy of your owl story.   Build Nesting for Owls. Many owls are unable to built their own nests; a majority are dependent on cavities in trees. Thirteen out of twenty owl species of North America and eight out of the thirteen European owl species depend on tree cavities. Tree cavities in managed forests in Europe and North America are becoming more scarce. Loss of nest sites is, without doubt, one of the major factors in the overall decline of Owls. Nest boxes are an artificial substitute for tree cavities. By putting nest boxes in place, we can help bring back owls to our forests and farmland. First using the websites, find out what types of owls live in your region. Learn about some of their habits and habitats. For Barn Owls, visit sites like Barn Owl, Common Nest Box Designs, Nest-box Scheme for Barn Owls, and Nest Boxes. You can find lots of help on nest boxes for different kinds of owls at the Owl Nestbox Resource Page and Nestboxes for Owls. Remember to work safely and ask for adult help and supervision when needed. Find the best location to place a nest box. Construct and place your owl nest box.   Owls and the Environment Versus Logging. If you are looking for online resources related to the Northern Spotted Owl controversy; start with some of those below. Then debate the issues surrounding logging and environmental protection. Should restrictions be strengthened or relaxed? Should landowners be compensated? Are jobs and the economy more important than protecting species and the environment. 1) Biodiversity and the Brownlash by P.R. Ehrlich and A.H. Ehrlich http://198.240.72.81/ehrlic08.html 2) Ethics and the Spotted Owl Controversy by C. Andre and M. Velasquez from the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University http://www.scu.edu/SCU/Centers/Ethics/publications/iie/v4n1/homepage.html 3) How to Cope with the Runaway Endangered Species Act by J. Baden http://www.free-eco.org/pub/ESA91.html 4) Jobs Versus the Environment http://www.calstart.org/resources/papers/jobs.html 5) Northern Spotted Owl Controversy http://www.chuckiii.com/Reports/Environmental_Science/Northern_Spotted_Owl_Controvers y.shtml 6) Northern Spotted Owl, Endangered-Fact or Fiction? by B. Hughes http://www.siskiyous.edu/class/geog1a/fall1997/owl.htm 7) Spotted Owl Fever (A Political Disease) by L.M. Scheel http://www.technocracy.org/periodicals/nwtechnocrat/322/scheel.html 8) Spotting Owls Land by T. Baimbridge http://www.teleport.com/~baimbris/spotowl.htm 9) Sweet Home Hard Hit by Federal, State Logging Restrictions http://www.sweet-home.or.us/forest/owl/index.html 10) Timber Owl and Logging http://www.american.edu/ted/TIMOWL.HTM 11) U.S. Spotted Owl Controversy Didn't Cause Massive Job Losses http://forests.org/recent/1999/skynotfa.htm   Websites By Kids For Kids Barred Owl (2001 ThinkQuest Junior Project) http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110865/ This project describes the range, habitat, voice, nesting and special features of the Barred Owl.   Burrowing Owl (2001 ThinkQuest Junior Project) http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110864/ This website is about the Burrowing Owl. It includes the introduction, description, sound or voice, habitat, nesting/eggs, range, food, and more.   Eastern Screech Owl (2001 ThinkQuest Junior Project) http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110543/ This website teaches about the Eastern Screech Owl. It includes facts, description, habitat, sound, range, nesting information, and more.   Elf Owl (2001 ThinkQuest Junior Project) http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110868/ This site describes the range, nesting, features and voice of the Elf Owl.   Great Gray Owl (2001 ThinkQuest Junior Project) http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110861/ Here you find a description of habitat, nesting/eggs, range, voice and features of the Great Gray Owl.   Great Horned Owl (2001 ThinkQuest Junior Project) http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110867/ This project provides information on the Great Horned Owl.   Living with Burrowing Owls (2000 ThinkQuest Junior Project) http://library.thinkquest.org/J003261/ This team's school property is home to three pairs of nesting burrowing owls, and endangered specie. The web site includes information about these small underground dwellers including digital photos, and video.   Owl Prowl http://www.kids-learn.org/owlprowl/ This online project involves participating classes to research an owl in their environment. If there are no owls in the area, the class may choose an owl that they would like to study. Students write reports, draw pictures, write poems, and stories about owls.   Owls from the 4th Grade of Estabrook School, Lexington, MA http://estabrook.ci.lexington.ma.us/Owls/Owls.html Check out the extensive research on owls including information on species, predators and prey, life cycle, and more.   Owls at the Virtual Zoo ThinkQuest Project http://library.thinkquest.org/11922/birds/owl.htm This site provides a brief summary of owls plus a sound file.   Saw-whet Owl (2001 ThinkQuest Junior Project) http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110866/ This website includes facts on the description, range, nesting/eggs, voice, and special features of the Saw-whet Owl.   Snowy Owl (2001 ThinkQuest Junior Project) http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110862/ The project provides information about the habitat, nesting/eggs, range, voice, and special features of the Snowy Owl.   More Owl Websites How Owls See and Hear by M. Mondoux from Chintimini Wildlife Rehabilitation Center http://www.proaxis.com/~cwrc/LivingWithWild/WildNatHist/OwlSeeHear.htm When looking at an owl, it's easy to notice how large its eyes are, how much of its face is taken up with eyes. But what we see, is only a small part of the whole eye.   Missouri Owls by J.D. Wilson from the Missouri Conservationist http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/nathis/birds/owls/ Strip away man's superstitions and misconceptions about them and you'll find that owls remain truly fascinating birds. Similar Websites: 2) Identification of Montana's Owls by D.W. Holt and D.M. Becker http://www.bitterroot.net/usdafs/owls.html 3) North American Owl Identification http://www.owlinstitute.org/idguide.html/ 4) North American Owl Identification Guide at Ninepipes Wildlife Research Center (MT) http://www.owlinstitute.org/idguide.html 4) Owls of North Dakota by C. Grondahl and J. Schumacher http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/othrdata/owls/owls.htm   Owl at Enchanted Learning http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/birds/printouts/Owlcoloring.shtml Here is a brief, but accurate description of owls.   OwlCam http://www.owlcam.com/ Follow the adventures of a pair of Northern Barred Owls through pictures and sound clips from their nest as they raise their young. Related Website: 2) Owl Cam Video at BBC Online http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/webcams/owlvideo.shtml   Owl Index from the Macbride Raptor Center http://www.ai-design.com/stargig/raptor/global/content/IndexOwls.html Check out the photographs and profiles of different species of owl.   Owl Pellets http://nova.bsuvc.bsu.edu/home/smransom/owls.html This site has a description of owl pellets, how to dissect them, and what is inside. Related Websites: 2) Owl Pellets from the U.S. Forest Service http://www.fs.fed.us/htnf/pellets.htm?Owl#first_hit 3) Owl Pellets from Alberta's Watchable Wildlife http://www.gov.ab.ca/env/fw/watch/owls/pel.html 4) Strange Case of the Mystery Rock from the Chicago Academy of Sciences http://www.caosclub.org/nsw/funstuff/mystery.html 5) Virtual Owl Pellet Dissection by J. Hildreth http://www.kidwings.com/owlpellets/index.htm    Websites For Teachers Owl by K. Hansen (Grade K) http://www.warrennet.org/lessonplans/owls.html Students learn about characteristics, life style, and food of the owl.   Owl Pellets from the Raptor Center by J. Vratil (Grades 4-12) http://www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu/raptor/op2.html Owl pellets can be used to teach a part of the natural food chain. Owl pellets are compact undigested parts which the owl eats. They can also be used to teach skeletal structure of rodents. Dry pellets will not smell or be unpleasant for students to handle. Related Websites: 2) Bones Found in Owl Pellets from the Raptor Center http://www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu/images/pellet.gif 3) How to Teach Using Owl Pellets http://www.angelfire.com/wa/owlpellets/teach.html 4) Taking Apart Owl Pellets by L. Warner (Grades 5-8) http://www.col-ed.org/cur/sci/sci19.txt   Owl Unit by L. Connell, B. Johnson, and K. Wcisel (Grade 3) http://www.iit.edu/~millst/eco3/index.htm This is an integrated unit that brings together the three disciplines of science, writing and reading.   Teacher CyberGuide by M. Wilson-Manos http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/owl/owltg.htm This CyberGuide consists of five activities that provide resources for students to explore the geography of Canada, dissect owl pellets, learn about Great Horned Owls, and gain information about the author of Owls In The Family (Farley Mowat).   Teacher Resources on Owl at Gander Academy http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/owls_teacher.htm Here is a small collections of links to lesson plans and activities for owls. Related Webpage at Gander Academy: 2) Support WebPages for Student Activities http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/owls_support.htm    owl pellet nest brood chick owlet 'wise old owl' hiss mate nocturnal hunt flight Tytoninae round-head prairie crepuscular 'perch and pounce' 'quartering' Striginae plumage feather fledge facial disk 'nite owl' Ornithologist prey hunter desert territory clutch territory endangered specie trees and forests ear-tuft diurnal raptor bird of prey 'hoot owl' predator carnivore Arctic Woodsy Owl hook-tipped beak 'Owl and the Birds' 'Grasshopper and the Owl' 'creatures of the night' talon Harry Potter        Created by Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson, 11/01.