Owls are divided into two families, the Tytonidae and the Strigidae. ¹⁾

Most owls hunt insects, small mammals, and other birds, but some owl species hunt fish. ²⁾

Many species of owls have asymmetrical ears. Their ears are able to pinpoint the location of sounds in multiple dimensions. ³⁾

Instead of spherical eyeballs, owls have “eye tubes” that extend far back into the skull which means their eyes are fixed in place so they have to turn their head to see something. ⁴⁾

Owls do not build their own nests. ⁵⁾

Owls are able to hear prey under leaves, plants, and snow. ⁶⁾

The female owl is more aggressive and larger than the male. ⁷⁾

Owls cannot chew their food because they have no teeth. They use their beaks to tear their food apart. ⁸⁾

In the United States and most other countries, it is illegal to keep owls as pets. ⁹⁾

It is quite rare to see an owl drinking water, but it can be seen bathing in it. ¹⁰⁾

In ancient Greece, owls represented Athena, the goddess of wisdom. ¹¹⁾

The Romans were terrified of owls and thought they were bearers of bad omens. ¹²⁾

The Egyptians believed that owls protected the spirits of the dead while traveling to the underworld. ¹³⁾

The parents always feed the oldest and strongest owl before its siblings. This means that if food is scarce, the youngest chicks will starve. ¹⁴⁾

Owls live in a variety of habitats from forests to suburbs and can be found on every continent on the planet except Antarctica. ¹⁵⁾