Owls and Vutures

Owl and Vulture: Description

Owls

Class: Aves (Birds)  

Order: Strigiformes (Owls)

Family: Tytonidae (Barn Owls) or Strigidae (Typical Owls)

•Description: Large round head with forward- facing eyes, sharp downward-facing beak, female can be up to 25% bigger than males.

•Owls are Birds of Prey that have great vision and hearing. Talons and beak are strong.

•Pellets are regurgitated after meals and contain indigestible parts of prey. 

Eastern Screech Owl

 http://www.houstonaudubon.org/default.aspx?act=newsletter.aspx&category=Bird%20Gallery&newsletterid=302

•Megascops asio

•Small, nocturnal owl.

•2 color morphs: grey phase and reddish-brown phase

•Adult (grey): facial disks white with grey-brown mottling, black border. Yellow iris. Grey-green beak

•Juvenile (grey): like adult but indistinct stripes and bars more patterned with white tips of feathers.

•Adult (red): cinnamon instead of grey

•Juvenile (red): greyish brown, bars and stripes less pronounced than adult.

•Fast flying  with broad wings  and head tucked in while in flight.

 

 Barred Owl

http://duncraft.atom5.com/barred-owls-3542.html

•Strix varia

•Medium sized gray to brown with horizontal barring on the chest and vertical barring on the stomach.

•Round head with white/brown facial disk with brown trim.

•Eyes are brown and the beak is yellow.

•They have a long tail 

•         Male and female plumage appears very similar.

Barn Owl 

http://www.owl-pictures.com/barn_owl.html

•Tyto alba

•Upper body light grey with small dark lines and dull spotting on feathers.

•Underparts are white

•The facial disk is white with a brown edge and brown markings near the front of the eyes.

•Off white beak with yellowish-white to brown feet.

•Females and juveniles have more spots.

•         Females and males are about the same size.

Great Horned Owl

 http://www.oregonzoo.org/Cards/BirdsOfPrey/greathornedowl.htm

•Bubo virginianus

•First seen in the Virginia Colonies

•Vary in color from a reddish brown to grey or black and white

•Eyes are large with yellow to orange color

•Underside is light grey with dark bars and a white band of feathers on the upper breast

•Feathers form tufts that look like “horns”

•Large feet have feathers that reach to the ends of toes

•Juveniles  appear similar to adults

•Females are  about 15% larger

 

Vultures 

•Consist of New World and Old World

•Some have an unusually bald head that does not require much clean after eating.

•7 extant species of New World

•Many species are endangered

•Found on every continent except Australia  and Antarctica.

Black Vulture

http://www.arkive.org/american-black-vulture/coragyps-atratus/ 

•Order: Falconiformes.

•Family: Cathartidae. (New World vulture).

•Scientific Name: Coragyps atratus

•Large size

•White patch at tip of broad wings

•Dark gray wrinkled head lacking feathers

•Prefers soaring on thermals

•Juvenile does not have wrinkled skin.

Turkey Vulture 

 http://www.calliebowdish.com/TurkeyVulture.htm

•Order: Falconiformes.

•Family: Cathartidae. (New World vulture).

•Scientific Name: Cathartes aura.

•Large, dark coloration, wings broad, long tails, wings held slightly elevated when in flight.

•Dark brown with a red head that lacks feathers, pale bill.  Feathers near the wingtips and edge are more lightly colored.