Owls are fascinating creatures- silent phantoms of the night capturing our imagination like no other bird can. There are roughly 250 different species of owls around the world. They are found on every continent except Antarctica. All owls are members of the bird group called Strigiformes. They are further divided into two families – barn owls (family Tytonidae) and true owls (family Strigidae). The main difference between these families is true owls have round faces and barn owls have heart shaped faces. Around 230 owl species are classified as true owls and the remainder are classified as barn owls. Most owls, about 70%, are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night. The remaining 30% are either diurnal, active during the day, or crepuscular, active during twilight. Bringing this closer to home, 19 owl species are found in North America and 8 of these can be found in Ohio. Ohio’s owls include seven true owl species and one barn owl species. The true owl species are the barred owl, eastern screech owl, great horned owl, long-eared owl, northern saw-whet owl, short-eared owl and snowy owl. Ohio’s only barn owl species is the American barn owl. Ohio’s owls are a diverse group. Four of these, the American barn owl, barred owl, eastern screech owl, and great horned owl are year-round residents. The short-eared owl and the northern saw-whet owl visit as they migrate through Ohio to warmer climates. And the snowy owl and long-eared owl spend their winters here, though both are considered rare to see in Ohio. They also vary in size ranging from Ohio’s largest resident owl, the great horned owl, standing as tall as 25 inches and weighing in at up to 5 pounds to our smallest owl the northern saw-whet owl being about the size of an American robin. Six of Ohio’s owls are nocturnal. The other two – the snowy owl is diurnal, and the short-eared owl is crepuscular. Being nocturnal is an evolutionary adaptation that gives these owls the edge they need to live and thrive. Most of their prey animals are active at night and by hunting at night, they are not competing with eagles and hawks. Darkness allows the owls to be stealthier, making their odds of a successful hunt much higher. Nocturnal owls have evolved several physical adaptations that make them well suited for the night. About one-third of nocturnal owl species have asymmetrically placed ear openings – meaning their ears are placed at different heights and angles on each side of their head. This gives the owl a three-dimensional location of its prey by detecting tiny differences in time, loudness and height. They can accurately pinpoint prey in complete darkness, under snow, or under forest floor plant litter. The great horned owl can hear sounds 10 miles away. Owls also have excellent night vision – their large eyes are built for seeing in the dark. As an example, a barn owl’s retina is 93% rods and 7% cones. Rods work in low light levels allowing the eye to see only in shades of gray, called scotopic vision. Not as necessary for nocturnal owls, cones work in bright light allowing the eye to perceive color. Owls also have specialized feathers that allow them to fly without making a sound. As predators, owls sit at the top of the food chain. They provide a valuable service to the ecosystem as natural pest controllers with the larger owls eating a variety of rodents and the smaller owls eating bugs and beetles that can damage crops and gardens. They provide ecosystem balance by keeping prey populations under control and healthy and they serve as indicators of ecosystem health. If owl numbers drop it means the ecosystem has become unbalanced and that pollution or habitat loss is affecting the area. Light affects habitats where owls live. It affects their hunting, their nesting, and every aspect of their lives. Let’s turn off all unnecessary lights to help these birds thrive at night and continue to play their part in the ecosystem.
It’s #WildlifeWednesday and we are talking about bears (oh my!). There have been a number of bear sightings and encounters reported this summer, both nationwide and here in Ohio. Let's learn about the American black bear, which has a small but growing population in the Buckeye State. Historically, black bears were abundant throughout Ohio, prior to major human settlement. But by the 1850s bears were considered officially extirpated, due to extensive deforestation and unregulated hunting. In the past several years, however, sightings of black bears have become more common. Many of the bears are transient males from neighboring states that are passing through and may only be spotted once. Excitingly, in recent years there has been documentation of reproducing female bears, including photo confirmation of sows with cubs in Ashtabula and Geauga counties. Black bears have a large home range (~100 miles) and prefer forested habitat with thick vegetation and are most frequently spotted in the northeastern and southeastern parts of state, likely moving in from Pennsylvania and West Virginia. American black bears are omnivores, primarily foraging for fruits, berries, shoots, grasses, and nuts, though they will also eat insects, fish, eggs, carrion, and other animal protein. And they do love honey! While generally shy and avoidant of humans, they are attracted to bird feeders, garbage cans with scraps of food, and outdoor pet bowls, which can be problematic if the bear loses its fear of people. If you happen to encounter a bear, stop and stay calm, as running can trigger a chase instinct. Pick up small children or pets so that they do not run away or towards the bear and keep large dogs on a leash. Try to look big by holding up your arms, speak loudly and calmly so the bear knows you are human, and back away. Do not climb a tree as bears are excellent and fast climbers. If a bear approaches aggressively, make noise and fight back. Concentrate hits and kicks on the face and muzzle. Do not play dead. The vast majority of bear sightings occur without incident and are a delightful treat for the observer. Being bear aware is important as more and more of these charismatic creatures establish themselves as residents of Ohio.
