Great Grey Owls Essay -- essays research papers fc

Great Gray OwlsI learned many interesting things by reading this article on great grey owls. I really had no knowledge of this species before I began, but I now have a certain notice for them beca substance abuse of the familiarity I have gained. One interesting aspect of these owls is their hunting methods. The great color owl is a very aggressive hunter when it finds its prey. These owls dont just pounce, the plunge (Warren, p.78). First, they locate their prey with the help of their large facial disk that funnels sound to their ears. Then, they tuck their extremely sharp hooked-shaped claws under their chin and taw headfirst towards the ground to snatch their next meal. In winter, when there is snow on the ground, the owl plunges into the snow. After a successful dive, it wiggles out from below the open air of the snow and takes its food to a safe spot to eat. These owls are so powerful when they hunt, they can shatter snow crust thick enough to dominate a 180 pound person. I dont think they will be losing too many meals with that kind of force. This hunting technique these owls use gives them a great advantage over other birds in the winter, because others must go to a place where the snow is not so thick. Great gray owls eat a variety of rodents in the lower 48 states, but stick to mostly voles in Canada and Alaska. These small rodents make up 80-90% of their diet. In the winter, mature gray owls can assume up to one-th...