Why Kids Should Learn About Owls

Maybe your child has shown an interest in these nocturnal birds of prey or they simply seem like a fascinating lesson waiting to happen. Either way, owls will not disappoint. Their unique digestive system and natural instincts still enchant people of all ages today. I know I am always in awe when I get a glimpse of an owl silhouetted against the night sky or hear their eerie calls echoing through the night. 

Learning about nature is like opening a treasure chest of wonders, and owls are truly one of the most magical creatures to discover. But why should kids learn about owls? By exploring what owls eat, kids can understand how animals survive, the food chain, how ecosystems stay balanced, and why every creature has a special role in nature. Owls help farmers by eating pests like mice, this shows kids how animals contribute to our world. After getting chickens our family saw an uptick in mice in our out-buildings, I would now love to see an uptick in owls too! Plus, their silent flight, sharp senses, and mysterious hoots spark curiosity and imagination, making learning a thrilling adventure. 

Studying owls also encourages kids to care about protecting wildlife, inspiring them to become nature’s helpers. Through owls, kids learn about science, teamwork in nature, and the joy of asking questions about the amazing world God created. So, let’s dive into the owl’s world and see what makes these birds so fascinating!

The Owl Diet: A Variety of Tasty Treats

Owls are carnivores, which means they eat meat. Their meals are made up of animals they hunt, and what they choose depends on where they live and what kind of owl they are. For example, a barn owl in a farmland area might have a different dinner than a snowy owl in the Arctic.

Most owls love to eat rodents like mice, voles, and rats. These little critters are quick and sneaky, but owls are masters at spotting them from high perches. A single barn owl family can eat thousands of rodents in a year, making them helpful friends to farmers by keeping pests under control. Imagine an owl family devouring over 1,000 mice in just one nesting season – that’s a lot of furry snacks!

But rodents aren’t the only items on the menu. Some owls enjoy insects, such as beetles, moths, and crickets, especially smaller species like the elf owl, which is the tiniest owl in the world. Larger owls, like the great horned owl, go for bigger prey, including rabbits, squirrels, and even other birds. In watery areas, owls might catch fish or frogs. And did you know some owls eat snakes, spiders, or lizards? The variety is endless, depending on the owl’s size and habitat.

One thing that’s unique about how owls eat is that they swallow their prey whole! They don’t chew like we do; instead, their strong beaks tear the food into manageable pieces if needed, but often, it’s gulp and gone. Later, owls regurgitate – that means they cough up – the parts they can’t digest, like bones, fur, and feathers. These small, compressed masses are called owl pellets, and they’re like little treasure chests for scientists and kids to explore what the owl had for dinner.

Let’s think about a day in the life of an owl. As the sun sets, the owl wakes up from its daytime nap in a tree hollow or barn rafter. It stretches its wings, sharpens its talons, and listens intently. Using its super senses, it detects a rustle in the grass – a mouse! With wings that make no sound, it glides down and snatches its meal. This process repeats throughout the night, with the owl eating enough to fuel its energy for flying and staying warm. Overall, owls are efficient hunters and below you can see exactly what do owls eat.

To give you a clearer picture, here’s a simple table of some common owls and their preferred meals:

Owl Type	Favorite Foods	Habitat
Barn Owl	Mice, voles, rats	Farmlands, grasslands
Great Horned Owl	Rabbits, squirrels, birds	Forests, deserts
Snowy Owl	Lemmings, small mammals	Arctic tundra
Elf Owl	Insects like beetles and moths	Deserts, woodlands
Burrowing Owl	Insects, small rodents	Open plains, burrows

This table shows how owls adapt their diets to what’s available to them. Next time you’re outside, think about what a local owl diet might consist of!

Nocturnal Animals and Their Adaptations

Now, let’s zoom out a bit and talk about the magical world of nocturnal animals – creatures that are active at night while we sleep. Nocturnal animal life is full of challenges, like finding food in the dark, avoiding predators, and staying safe. But these nocturnal animals have developed incredible adaptations to thrive in the moonlight.

Owls are perfect examples of nocturnal animal superstars. Some quick owl facts: Their eyes are huge compared to their body size, allowing them to gather more light in dim conditions. Unlike human eyes, owl eyes are fixed in place, so they turn their heads up to 270 degrees to look around – that’s almost a full circle! Their feathers are specially fringed to muffle sound during flight, making them silent assassins of the night. And their hearing? Extraordinary! Owls have asymmetrical ears – one higher than the other – which helps them pinpoint exactly where a sound is coming from, even under snow or leaves.

These adaptations make owls amazing hunters. But what about the animals they eat? Many of owls’ prey are also nocturnal animals or crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk), which adds to the challenge. Let’s look at some common prey and why they’re tough for owls to catch.

Mice and voles are speedy and love to hide in burrows or under grass. They have excellent senses of smell and hearing to detect danger, so an owl must be incredibly quiet and precise. They also will run in circles and zigzag. 

Many years ago I went for a walk with my dad in the morning after a fresh snowfall. Near the edge of the woods we noticed tiny footprints in the snow. We decided to follow them and only a few more paces the footprints were no longer running straight but frantically zigzagging. Then there was no more comprehending the direction the mouse was headed in. Then suddenly they ended with an outline of a slight indentation in the snow and on two sides the brush of wing tips. It was very cool to discover the evidence of the food chain at work.

Continuing on, rabbits are larger and can hop away at high speeds, zigzagging to confuse predators. Owls need sharp talons and strong wings to grab them mid-leap. Insects like moths flutter erratically, making them hard to snag in mid-air. Frogs and fish require owls to hover or wade quietly, using patience and quick strikes. Even birds, if caught sleeping, can wake and fly off if the owl isn’t stealthy enough.

Other nocturnal animals share similar adaptations. Bats use echolocation to navigate and catch insects, while raccoons have dexterous paws for foraging. Foxes have keen night vision for hunting, and fireflies glow to communicate. But owls stand out with their combination of sight, sound, and silence, making them top predators in this shadowy world.

These adaptations show how nature equips animals for survival. For owls, overcoming the difficulties of catching elusive prey ensures they get the nutrition needed to raise their owlets and continue their nocturnal reign. Understanding these traits helps us appreciate the intricate balance of ecosystems, where every creature plays a part.

8 Wonderful Books About Owls for Kids

Reading is a fantastic way to learn owl facts while sparking your child’s imagination, so grab a few of these books and cuddle up next to each other on the couch. Here are 10 delightful books about owls, including stories featuring barn owls and other species. These picks range from picture books for little ones to chapter books for older kids, all filled with owl facts and fun.

1. The Barn Owls by Tony Johnston – This poetic book follows a family of barn owls living in an old barn, highlighting their nightly hunts and life cycle.
2. Owls by Gail Gibbons – A non-fiction gem packed with facts about different owl species, their habitats, and diets. Perfect for young naturalists who love learning through colorful diagrams.
3. Owl Moon by Jane Yolen – A beautiful tale of a child and father going owling on a winter night. It captures the magic of spotting a great horned owl in the wild.
4. Little Owl’s Night by Divya Srinivasan – Follow Little Owl as he explores the nighttime world, meeting other nocturnal animals and discovering what happens while others sleep.
5. Knight Owl by Christopher Denise – A brave little owl dreams of becoming a knight and faces a dragon. This adventurous story blends fantasy with owl charm.
6. Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat – Based on true stories, this chapter book tells of a boy raising two pet owls, full of mischief and real-life owl behaviors.
7. National Geographic Kids: Owls by Laura Marsh – An informative reader with stunning photos, covering owl adaptations, diets, and conservation. Ideal for fact-hungry readers.
8. Owl Babies by Martin Waddell – Three baby owls wait anxiously for their mother to return from hunting. This sweet story teaches about family and patience, with adorable illustrations.

Honorable Mention
The Christmas Owl: Based on the True Story of a Little Owl Named Rockefeller by Gideon Sterer. Or The Little Owl and the Big Tree: A Christmas Story by Jonah and Jeanette Winter. I have personally read the latter but they are both about the same owl who was discovered to have traveled from her home in upstate New York all the way to New York City in her home tree. This is a sweet story of human kindness and the Christmas spirit.

These books can be found at your local library or bookstore. Reading them aloud as a family can make owl facts come alive! Pair them with discussions about what the owls in the stories might eat to tie back to the main topic.

Making Learning Interactive: A Free Owl Printable

Learning about owls doesn’t have to be just reading or watching – let’s make it play based and active! At Playing for Hours, we believe play is the best teacher. That’s why I created a free activity owl printable. This owl printable is designed for kids ages 4-8.

The owl printable features an owl swooping down to catch its prey. On the next page are the individual prey animals. These can be cut out and turned into a game. Simply place them throughout a room with tape on the back of each piece so they can be stuck on vertical surfaces, as well as horizontal. Now it’s a game of hide-and-seek!

Pair this with dissecting an owl pellet, which is what an owl regurgitates. Older kids can illustrate an owl catching its prey and write a short story about it. For added interaction, pair it with an evening nature walk to listen for owl calls or collect leaves to make an owl craft.

If you wish to make the printable more durable for repeated use, I recommend laminating. Once laminated the masking tape won’t affect the paper, you can also use Velcro (which I have come to adore for interactive printables like this). Download your free owl printable below.

Fun Owl Facts that will Wow Your Kids

Did you know owls have some of the most surprising secrets in the animal kingdom? Let’s share some fun facts that will make you the owl expert among your friends. These tidbits highlight why owls are so special, especially when it comes to their eating habits and survival skills.

• Owls can eat up to 12 mice in a single night – that’s like having a dozen sandwiches for dinner! Their stomachs are super strong to handle all that, but they cleverly get rid of the indigestible bits in pellets. Scientists study these pellets to learn about owl diets without disturbing the birds.
• Owls don’t have teeth, so they use their beaks like scissors to rip food apart. And their tongues are short and rough, perfect for holding onto slippery prey like frogs. Some owls, like the fishing owl, have spiny scales on their feet to grip fish better.
• Not all owls hoot! Some whistle, screech, or even bark. The barn owl’s call sounds like a scary hiss, which helps scare away threats while they eat in peace.
• Owls also have zygodactyl feet – two toes forward, two back – for a firm grasp on wriggling meals.
• Owls come in all sizes, from the tiny elf owl (about 5 inches tall) that eats insects, to the massive Blakiston’s fish owl (up to 28 inches) that catches salmon.
• In some cultures, owls are seen as wise guardians, perhaps because of their watchful eyes during nighttime hunts.

Owl Crafts and Games for Home Fun

Bring the world of owls into your home with simple crafts and games that tie into what they eat. These activities use everyday materials and encourage imaginative play, turning learning into laughter.

Start with an owl pellet dissection kit – you can order safe, sterilized ones online here. Although they are perfectly safe, I still enjoy setting up a lab environment for my kids. Gloves and safety goggles included. Kids dissect the pellet to discover what the owl ate, sorting bones like a real scientist. They can reassemble the bones and study the skulls to determine the different critters that were on the menu.

Read Next: Owl Pellet Dissection for Kids

Play a nocturnal flashlight game. This is a fun, favorite in my family. We take all the kids’ stuffies (bonus points if they’re naturally nocturnal animals) and place them throughout the yard. After dark the boys go out with flashlights and discover their animals opening the gate or swinging on the swingset. 

Lastly, craft pinecone owls: From Curated by Michelle her step-by-step instructions guide you on how to cut out shapes and glue the eyes, beak, and more onto a pinecone to create an adorable little owl. Encourage an older child to write a story about the “night in the life” of their crafted owl.

These projects foster creativity while reinforcing owl menus and habits. Gather the family for an evening of owl-themed fun – who knows what discoveries you’ll make?

Owl Conservation: Why We Need to Protect These Night Hunters

Owls play a vital role in our world, but they face challenges that we can help address. Understanding conservation adds depth to our knowledge of what owls eat, as healthy habitats mean plentiful prey. Many owls are threatened by habitat loss from building and farming, which reduces places to nest and hunt. Pesticides harm rodents and insects, poisoning owls when they eat them.

Kids can help! Plant trees for nesting spots, avoid harmful chemicals in gardens, and support wildlife centers. Join citizen science projects, like reporting owl sightings to help track populations. Encourage parents to set mouse and rat traps instead of using poison.

Organizations like the International Owl Center educate about these issues, offering ways to adopt owls symbolically. By protecting owls, we safeguard the food chains they balance – fewer pests mean healthier farms and forests. Teaching conservation early inspires lifelong stewards of nature. Even small actions, like making bird-friendly yards, make a difference for our feathered friends.

Finding Additional Resources About Owls for Kids

Now that you’re nearing the end, there’s so much more to discover! Here are some wonderful resources to keep the owl adventure going.

Look for options in your local area. Plan a visit to your local zoo or nature center – many have bird exhibits or live demonstrations. We stumbled upon a large bird demonstration at a hummingbird festival in our area and the boys thought the vulture and owl were the coolest. You never know what might be waiting for you.

If you know ahead of time that you will see birds of prey then plan a week of lessons leading up to the outing. On the other hand, if you stumble upon it like we did then plan the following week to be all about owls. 

Other great sites include National Geographic Kids for owl facts and games, and The Barn Owl Trust for free worksheets on pellet analysis. Books like those listed above pair well with these resources. Also, don’t miss out on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology which offers kid-friendly videos on owl calls and behaviors. 

As we wrap up our journey into the enchanting world of owls and their diets, let’s remember that these silent flyers are more than just nighttime hunters – they’re guardians of balance in nature, teaching us lessons in resilience and wonder. By sparking curiosity in young minds through play, stories, and exploration, we nurture a generation that cherishes the wild. So, step outside tonight, listen for that gentle hoot, and dream of the adventures owls embark on under the stars. Then, thank God for how He made the world in all its intricacies and beauty. May your days be filled with discovery and your nights with the magic of owls!