Our wise OLD OWLS

They're fearsome hunters, protective parents and among our most beautiful birds

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There are around 250 owl species around the world, but only five residents in the UK – the barn owl, tawny owl, little owl, long-eared owl and short-eared owl. They share a characteristic disc-shaped face, and their facial feathers funnel sound towards their ears when hunting.

The Romans believed owls were witches in feathered form, and they're associated with magic to this day, like Harry Potter's snowy owl, Hedwig. Their huge eyes and impassive stares have also given them a reputation for cleverness, and Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, is often pictured with an owl. But a barn owl's chilling call has also been thought to herald death, as in Shakespeare's Macbeth, when the 'fatal bellman' is heard to shriek as King Duncan is murdered.

Barn owl

With its white, heart-shaped face and a wingspan just short of a metre, a barn owl in flight is one of the quietest and most impressive hunters. Its slow glide is almost completely silent because combed edges to its wing feathers minimise air turbulence, giving no warning to unsuspecting rodents. As well as barns, owls can also nest in hollow trees or rock crevices, and a pair will return to the same spot each year.