Sample - Owls

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Supremely adapted to a nocturnal existence, owls have been silent observers of the night for thousands of years. To humans, these stealthy raptors have served variously as symbols of wisdom, darkness, and even disgrace, perceptions shaped largely by the unknowns of owls’ secretive existence. But we now have a comparatively good understanding of owl behavior and ecology, such that these creatures, rather than being veiled by mystery, have emerged as fun and interesting subjects of biology. Owls come in all sizes, from the tiny elf owl and least pygmy owl, both of which measure a mere five or six inches in length, to the large barn owls and the great gray owl, the latter of which can reach lengths of more than two feet. Owls occupy habitats from grasslands and tundra to dense tropical rainforests. And while many species roost in cavities in trees or in the branches of evergreens, some, such as the short-eared owl, make their homes in nests on the ground, or, like the burrowing owl, actually roost underground, in holes abandoned by other animals. Most owls are creatures of the dark, being active primarily between dusk and dawn. Their evolutionary adaptations, which bind them together as taxonomic group, shape their ability to move and hunt in the absence of light. Owls have feathers that are serrated at the tips, which silences their flight and enables them to hear prey as it moves in the dark, capturing it by surprise. In dim light, owls can use the high degree of visual acuity and light sensitivity provided by their large eyes to see their prey. But in total darkness, they rely more heavily on their remarkable sense of hearing—the asymmetrical positioning of their ear openings, coupled with the ability to turn their heads more than 180 degrees, allows them to zero in on sounds created by mice and other rodents rustling in leaves or snow. Many owls also

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