RAPTORS of North America
Raptors are carnivorous. They hunt by sight during the day, are long lived, and have low reproductive rates. The catch their prey via strong claws – three pointing forward and one pointing backward.
The raptors that hunt by day are: hawks, eagle, buzzards, harriers, kites, vultures, falcons, caracaras. Owls hunt by night. Raptors are also called birds of prey.
OWLS
Order Strigiformes
Owls are found on all continents except Antarctica. Owls are divided into two families: the typical owls, Strigidae; and the barn-owls, Tytonidae. They range in size from 13-70 cm. Owls do not construct nests, but rather look for a sheltered nesting site or an abandoned nest in trees, underground burrows, or in buildings, barns and caves.
Owls are solitary and nocturnal. They hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds though a few species specialize in hunting fish. Most hunt for prey only in the darkness. Much of the owls' hunting strategy depends on stealth and surprise. They are very quiet in flight plus they have dull colors. Owls have large forward-facing eyes and ear-holes, a hawk-like beak, a flat face, and usually a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye. The facial disc helps to funnel the sound of prey to their ears. Although owls have binocular vision, their large eyes are fixed in their sockets, as with other birds, and they must turn their entire head to change views. Owls can rotate their heads and necks as much as 270 degrees in either direction.
Family Strigidae
The owls in the Strigidae family are known as the true owls or the typical owls. See above for their description.
Genus Aegolius
Owl, Boreal aka Tengmalm's Owl Aegolius funereus Found: North America, Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1) Maik Meid 2) Mdf - Ontario, Canada 3) Andrea Pokrzywinski - Alaska
1) Fledgling
Owl, Northern Saw-whet Aegolius acadicus Found: North America
Photographed by: 1) Kathy and Sam 2) RBS 10025 3) Alan D. Wilson - Morden Road, Nanaimo, British Columbia 4) J N Stuart
1) Fledglings
Genus Asio
Owl, Long-eared Asio otus Found: North America, Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1) Charlie Westerinen - Morongo Valley Riparian Preserve, California 2) Alpo Roikola
3) Joseph Oliver 4) Greg Smith - California 5) Mindaugas Urbonas
1) Fledglings
Owl, Short-eared Asio flammeus Found: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by: 1) Winnu 2) Caryn - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador
3, 4) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center 5) Dario Sanches - Brazil
Genus Athene
Owl, Burrowing Athene cunicularia Found: The Americas
Photographed by: 1, 4) Alan D Wilson - Farm Road Off SR17, Near Othello, Washington
2) Dick Daniels - Center for Birds of Prey, Charleston, South Carolina 3) Dick Daniels - San Diego Zoo
Genus Bubo
Owl, Great Horned Bubo virginianus Found: North America, South America
Photographed by: 1, 2) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center 3) Dick - Carolina Raptor Center
4) Dick - Brookfield Gardens, South Carolina 5, 6) Dick - Sunset Beach, NC
6) Owlet
Owl, Snowy Bubo scandiacus (formerly in genus Nyctea) Found: North America, Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Anchorage Zoo, Alaska 2) Dick - Anchorage Zoo 3) Tony Hisgett
4) Elaine R. Wilson - Saint Barthelemy, Near Montreal, Quebec
Genus Glaucidium
Owl, Ferruginous Pygmy- Glaucidium brasilianum Found: North America (Arizona), South America
The Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl and the Northern Pygmy-Owl are very similar in appearance. If found in California and northward then it is a Northern Pygmy-owl. Also, Northern Pygmy-Owl has a spotted crown of head while Ferruginous has a streaked crown.
1) Fledgling
Owl, Northern Pygmy- Glaucidium gnoma Found: western North America, Central America
The Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl and the Northern Pygmy-Owl are very similar in appearance. If found in California and northward then it is a Northern Pygmy-owl. Also, Northern Pygmy-Owl has a spotted crown of head while Ferruginous has a streaked crown.
Genus Megascops
Screech Owls
Owl, Eastern Screech Megascops asio Found: North America
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center 4) Dick - North Carolina
1, 2) Gray phase 4) Red phase
Owl, Western Screech- Megascops kennicottii Found: North America
Photographed by: 1) Beth Hoffman - Arizona 2) SearchNet Media - Arizona 3) Bryant Olsen
Owl, Whiskered Screech- Megascops trichopsis Found: North America (Arizona), Central America
Photographed by: David Bygott - Arizona
Genus Micrathene - 1 species
Owl, Elf Micrathene whitneyi Found: southwest United States and Mexico
Photographed by: 1) H. Dwight Beers- Maricopa County, Arizona 2) Dominic Sherony
3) Bryant Olsen - West of Wickenburg 4) Charlie Westerinen - captivity at Tucson, AZ
Genus Otus
Owl, Flammulated Otus flammeolus Found: western North America
Photographed by: 1) Dave Menke, USFWS 2) USGS 3) Sugarbear96 4) Jerry Oldenettel - New Mexico
1) Fledgling 2) Gray phase 3, 4) Red Phase
Genus Strix
Owl, Barred Strix varia Found: North America and Central America
Photographed by: 1) Dick Daniels - Mexico Beach, Florida 2) Dick - Sandwich, New Hampshire 3, 4) Dick - Carolina Raptor Center
Owl, Great Gray aka Lapland Owl Strix nebulosa Found: North America, Europe, Asia
Photographed by 1) Brian Scott 2) Olibac 3) Crotach - Finland
4) Alan D. Wilson - Colony Farm Regional Park, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
Owl, Spotted Strix occidentalis Found: western North America
The backs of a Barred Owl and Spotted Owl are similar, but the chest and face are distinctive.
2) Strix occidentalis caurina
Genus Surnia - 1 species
Owl, Northern Hawk Surnia uluaa Found: North America, Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1, 2) Alan D Wilson - Morden Road, Nanaimo, British Columbia 3) Alan - Pincourt, Near Montreal, Quebec
Order Strigiformes Family Tytonidae
Barn-owls are medium to large sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long, strong legs with powerful talons. They also differ from Strigidae owls in structural details relating in particular to the sternum and feet.
Genus Tyto
Owl, Barn Tyto alba Found: North America and almost everywhere else in the world
Photographed by: 1, 3, 4) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center 2, 4, 7) Dick Daniels - Carolina Raptor Center
5) Dick - Center for Birds of Prey 6, 8) Dick - Eagle Encounters, South Africa
All photos on this site are available for general use. Please credit the photographer. Some images have additional constraints such as no commercial use or no modifications. Click the photo credit link for details. Dick Daniels, webmaster.