Owls of Maryland

SEE THINK WONDER

What do you see in the picture? What do you think is happening and what was the artist trying to tell you with this picture? What does this picture make you wonder about?

Haida art - Owl - Glen Rabena

Storytime

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

Owls of Maryland

Owls are carnivorous and have special adaptations that enable them to hunt at night. For example, their eyes are large and fixed, with binocular vision and good depth perception. Because owls are unable to move their eyes, they have developed an incredibly flexible neck that allows them to turn their head 270 degrees, from one side to the other. (Humans can only rotate their heads about 180 degrees.) Their eyes are also extremely light sensitive, allowing them to see well at night.

Barred Owl

found along rivers in low-lying woods. This large owl has no ear tufts and has dark brown eyes.

Eastern Screech Owl

at less than 9 inches in height. They have large heads with distinctive ear tufts

Barn Owl

Barn Owls are often found in rural areas near farmland and open countryside. They usually reside in the lofts of abandoned barns or silos but will also use nest boxes.

Great Horned Owl

Great horned owls are the largest of our tufted owl species in Maryland. As their name states, these birds have two prominent ear tufts also known as ‘horns’ on the sides of their head.

Northern Saw-whet Owl

this owl prefers the shelter of dense evergreen groves, as it is seen here amidst some pines at Sandy Point State Park. The Saw-whet’s name refers to the sound of its raspy call, which resembles the sound of a saw being sharpened

Snowy Owl

large, white owls. Adult males are almost fully white in appearance and occasionally sport a few dark marks. In contrast, females and juveniles tend to have dark scalloping and spotting.