FACTS ABOUT OWLS by Konstantin Lepyokhin
EYESIGHT
Despite having large forward looking binocular eyes, owls are the only species in the bird kingdom known to wear glasses.
In the United Kingdom it is estimated the owl population costs the National Health Service over £16,000,000 in optician fees. This is likely to increase in the future as the development of contact lens has led to a great spike in owls numbers due to increased hunting success.
Previously owls would often lose their glasses in flight or during a 'kill dive'.
HABITAT
As one of the most successful genus of birds, owls are resident in many environments but generally they are to be found in woodland, moors and libraries. Groups of immature owls can be often spotted in urban areas, leaning against walls smoking.
DEVELOPMENT OF WINGS
The owl has the amazing ability to turn it's head 360 degrees. It can do this seven times before the potential energy of the twisted spine 'pops' spiralling round at extreme speed and shooting the owl into the air, much like a helicopter.
Some evolutionary theorists believe owls first developed wings to control the landings of these 'bottlerocket' take offs which they often did for fun.
OWL SPECIES
There are many types of Owl. So far Owlologists have identified 8,493 species. Common types of owl include the Barn Owl, the Eagle Owl and the Tawny Owl, which was once married to David Coverdale.
Endangered Owls include the Furniture Removal Owl, which has been said to benevolently appear from the sky to help people struggling with a sofa by lifting the heavy furniture with it's powerful talons, and the Aquatic Hull Nibbling Owl which was specifically developed by the Japanese to attack shipping in the Pacific during World War 2.
OWLS AND HUMANS
Since pre-history owls and humans have had a complex and intertwinded relationship. The word "owl" is of Celtic origin and literally means 'feathery woodland chum'. The ancient historian Herodotus claimed Persian Emperor Xerxes was half owl with "
round orange eyes, a beak and a foul habit of coughing up pellets of mouse, vole and other barbarian foodstuffs." More recently, owls are best known for their educational accomplishments. Almost all University and College graduates have studied under an owl professor with perhaps the most famous of these being former Harvard Professor of Political Philosophy, John Raowls.
