Apparently today is something called [b]Superb Owl Sunday[/b], so it seems fitting to share a little of these adorable birds.
Owls have 14 cervical* vertebrae (twice as many as a quarterback), which is why it's so hard to sneak up on them.
Owls can't actually move their eyes, and must move their entire head to look at something. Their fixed, tube-shaped eyes have excellent binocular vision are great for depth perception, however.
A group of owls is called a Parliament.
Most owls' feathers are highly adapted for silent night-time flying. One of the consequences is that many species can't use preen oil like most birds do, to keep waterproof, and so have extra fluffy downy feathers to keep warm instead.
Sadly many owl species are under threat due to habitat loss, or hunting-ground loss, such as along the edges of fields where delicious mice were once often to be found.
Please, everyone, let's look after these beautiful birds <3
[sep] * - thanks TexChik for specifying!
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