11.26.12
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Answers — Ronald Wants To Know: species, roost, feathers, barn, habitats, owl Visit NIE online at www.sidneydailynews.com, www.troydailynews.com or www.dailycall.com Newspapers In Education Nourishing Ideas. Nourishing People. Proud Sponsors of Newspapers In Education One form per visit. Not valid with any other offer. No cash value.Valid at all Scott Family McDonald’s®: Tipp City, Troy, Piqua, Sidney, Greenville, Beavercreek and Fairborn. Expires Dec. 31, 2012. sseecip osrot heasterf nabr bithaats wol A FREE ICE CREAM CONE Unscramble the words and bring in your answers for Word of the Week roost — a perch upon which birds or fowls rest at night Barn owls have a heart- shaped face, long legs and powerful talons. Barn owls are medium-sized birds with a wingspan of about 3½ feet. There are 16 species of barn owls, including the greater sooty owl, Australasian grass owl, ashy- faced owl, barn owl and Sulawesi owl. Most owls hunt at night and in doing so avoid competition with daytime avian hunters such as hawks and eagles. Although noc- turnal feeding is the norm for most owls, some species such as burrowing owls and short- eared owls feed during the day. Still other species, such as pygmy owls, feed at dusk or dawn. Owls are unable to move their eyes within their sockets to a great extent, which means they must turn their entire head to see in a different direction. Because owls have forward-facing eyes, they have well-developed binocu- lar vision. In many species, the bill is partly concealed by feathers so it appears smaller than it actually is. Owls use their sharp bill to tear their food. Owls are depicted in cave paintings in France that date back 15,000 to 20,000 years. Owls also appear in Egyptian hieroglyphics. They have held a variety of symbolic roles in cul- ture and have represented mis- fortune, death, prosperity and wisdom. Newspaper Knowledge NIE Coordinator: Dana Wolfe / Graphic Designer: Scarlett E. Smith Word Search Common Barn Owl These pale, nearly worldwide, birds are closely associated with man through their traditional use in the Old World of barn lofts and church steeples as nesting sites. Although widely known beforehand, it was in 1769 when the Barn Owl was first officially described by Giovanni Scopoli, an Italian naturalist. The species name "alba" also refers to the color white. Other names for the Barn Owl have included Monkey- faced Owl, Ghost Owl, Church Owl, Death Owl, Hissing Owl, Hobgoblin or Hobby Owl, Golden Owl, Silver Owl, White Owl, Night Owl, Rat Owl, Scritch Owl, Screech Owl, Straw Owl, Barnyard Owl and Delicate Owl. Description: The Upperparts are light gray with numerous fine dark lines and scattered pale spots on the feathers. There are buff markings on wings and on the back. The under- parts are white with a few black spots, occasionally none. Feathering on the lower legs may be sparse. The heart-shaped facial disc is white with a brownish edge, with brown marks at the front of the eyes, which have a black iris. Its beak is off-white and the feet are yellowish-white to brownish. Males and females are similar in size and color; females and juveniles are generally more densely spotted. Size: Female: Length 34-40cm (13.5-15.5") Wingspan 110cm (43") Weight 570g (20oz) Male: Length 32-38cm (12.5-15") Wingspan 107cm (42") Weight 470g (15.5oz) Habits: Generally nocturnal, although it is not uncommon to see this species emerge at dusk or be active at dawn, occasionally being seen in flight during full daylight. Flight is noiseless, with wingbeats interrupted by gliding. Voice: The Barn Owl calls infre- quently, the usual call being a drawn- out rasping screech. The courtship call of male at nest is a shrill repeti- tive twittering. Adults returning to a nest may give a low, frog-like croak. When surprised in its roosting hollow or nest, it makes hissing and rasping noises and snapping sounds that are often called bill snapping, but possi- bly made by clicking the tongue. Hunting & Food: Barn Owls spe- cialize in hunting small ground mam- mals, and the vast majority of their food consists of small rodents. Voles (field mice) are an important food item, as well as pocket gophers, shrews, mice and rats. Barn Owls breed rapidly in response to mouse plagues. Other prey may include baby rabbits, bats, frogs, lizards, birds and insects. Prey are usually located by quartering up and down likely looking land - particularly open grassland. They also use low perches such as fence posts to seek quarry. Breeding: Barn Owls will breed any time during the year, depending on food supply.In a good year, a pair may breed twice. Rodent plagues cause Barn Owl numbers to increase dramatically. During courting, males may circle near the nest tree, giving short screeches and chattering calls. The majority of Barn Owls nest in tree hollows up to 20 meters high. They will also nest in old buildings, caves and well shafts. 3 to 6 eggs are laid (occasionally up to 12) at 2 day intervals. The eggs are 38 to 46mm (1.5-1.8") long and 30 to 35mm (1.2- 1.4") wide and will be incubated for 30 to 34 days. Chicks are covered in white down and brooded for about 2 weeks, and are fledged in 50 to 55 days. After this, they will remain in the vicinity for a week or so to learn hunt- ing skills and then rapidly disperse from the nest area.Young birds are able to breed at about 10 months. Mortality: Barn Owls are short- lived birds. Most die in their first year of life, with the average life expectan- cy being 1 to 2 years in the wild. In North America the oldest known Barn Owl in the wild lived to be 11 years, 6 months. In Holland, a wild barn owl lived to be 17 years, 10 months old. In England, a captive female barn owl was retired from breeding at 25 years old! Habitat: The Barn Owl is found in virtually all habitats but much more abundantly in open woodland, heaths and moors than forested country. They usually roost by day in tree hol- lows but have also been found in caves, wells, out-buildings or thick foliage. Distribution: The Barn Owl is one of the most wide spread of all land birds. They are found on all conti- nents (except Antarctica) and large islands and occur over the whole of Australia, including Tasmania.They occur throughout most of Britain and Europe and across many parts of Asia, Africa, and in much of North America. In South America they are found in areas of suitable grassland, as well as on oceanic islands such as the Galapagos. They were introduced to Hawaii in 1958. SPOTTED PYGMY SCREECH FLAMMULATED BOREAL HAWK LONG-EARED WHISKERED ELF GREAT HORNED SHORT-EARED BARRED SAW-WHET SNOWY GREAT GRAY BURROWING
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NIE 11.26.12
Transcript of 11.26.12
Answers—RonaldWantsToKnow:species,roost,feathers,barn,habitats,owl
Visit NIE online at www.sidneydailynews.com, www.troydailynews.com or www.dailycall.com
Newspapers In Education
Nourishing Ideas. Nourishing People.Proud Sponsors of Newspapers In Education
One form per visit. Not valid with any other offer. No cash value.Valid at all Scott Family McDonald’s®: Tipp City, Troy, Piqua, Sidney, Greenville, Beavercreek and Fairborn. Expires Dec. 31, 2012.
sseecip osrot heasterf nabr bithaats wol
A FREE ICE CREAM CONEUnscramble the words and bring in your answers for
Word of the Weekroost — a perch upon whichbirds or fowls rest at night
Barn owlshave a heart-shaped face, longlegs and powerfultalons. Barn owlsare medium-sizedbirds with awingspan ofabout 3½ feet. There are 16species of barn owls, includingthe greater sooty owl,Australasian grass owl, ashy-faced owl, barn owl and Sulawesiowl.Most owls hunt at night and in
doing so avoid competition withdaytime avian hunters such ashawks and eagles. Although noc-turnal feeding is the norm formost owls, some species suchas burrowing owls and short-eared owls feed during the day.Still other species, such aspygmy owls, feed at dusk ordawn.Owls are unable to move their
eyes within their sockets to agreat extent, which means theymust turn their entire head to seein a different direction. Becauseowls have forward-facing eyes,they have well-developed binocu-lar vision.In many species, the bill is
partly concealed by feathers so itappears smaller than it actuallyis. Owls use their sharp bill totear their food.Owls are depicted in cave
paintings in France that dateback 15,000 to 20,000 years.Owls also appear in Egyptianhieroglyphics. They have held avariety of symbolic roles in cul-ture and have represented mis-fortune, death, prosperity andwisdom.
NewspaperKnowledge
NIE Coordinator: Dana Wolfe / Graphic Designer: Scarlett E. Smith
Word Search
Common Barn OwlThese pale, nearly worldwide,
birds are closely associated with manthrough their traditional use in the OldWorld of barn lofts and churchsteeples as nesting sites. Althoughwidely known beforehand, it was in1769 when the Barn Owl was firstofficially described by GiovanniScopoli, an Italian naturalist. Thespecies name "alba" also refers tothe color white. Other names for theBarn Owl have included Monkey-faced Owl, Ghost Owl, Church Owl,Death Owl, Hissing Owl, Hobgoblinor Hobby Owl, Golden Owl, SilverOwl, White Owl, Night Owl, Rat Owl,Scritch Owl, Screech Owl, StrawOwl, Barnyard Owl and Delicate Owl.
Description: The Upperparts arelight gray with numerous fine darklines and scattered pale spots on thefeathers. There are buff markings onwings and on the back. The under-parts are white with a few blackspots, occasionally none. Featheringon the lower legs may be sparse. Theheart-shaped facial disc is white witha brownish edge, with brown marksat the front of the eyes, which have ablack iris. Its beak is off-white and thefeet are yellowish-white to brownish.Males and females are similar in sizeand color; females and juveniles aregenerally more densely spotted.
Size: Female: Length 34-40cm(13.5-15.5") Wingspan 110cm (43")Weight 570g (20oz)
Male: Length 32-38cm (12.5-15")Wingspan 107cm (42") Weight 470g(15.5oz)
Habits: Generally nocturnal,although it is not uncommon to seethis species emerge at dusk or beactive at dawn, occasionally beingseen in flight during full daylight.Flight is noiseless, with wingbeatsinterrupted by gliding.
Voice: The Barn Owl calls infre-quently, the usual call being a drawn-out rasping screech. The courtshipcall of male at nest is a shrill repeti-tive twittering. Adults returning to anest may give a low, frog-like croak.When surprised in its roosting hollowor nest, it makes hissing and raspingnoises and snapping sounds that areoften called bill snapping, but possi-bly made by clicking the tongue.
Hunting & Food: Barn Owls spe-
cialize in hunting small ground mam-mals, and the vast majority of theirfood consists of small rodents. Voles(field mice) are an important fooditem, as well as pocket gophers,shrews, mice and rats. Barn Owlsbreed rapidly in response to mouseplagues. Other prey may includebaby rabbits, bats, frogs, lizards,birds and insects. Prey are usuallylocated by quartering up and downlikely looking land - particularly opengrassland. They also use low perchessuch as fence posts to seek quarry.
Breeding: Barn Owls will breedany time during the year, dependingon food supply. In a good year, a pairmay breed twice. Rodent plaguescause Barn Owl numbers to increasedramatically. During courting, malesmay circle near the nest tree, givingshort screeches and chattering calls.The majority of Barn Owls nest intree hollows up to 20 meters high.They will also nest in old buildings,caves and well shafts. 3 to 6 eggs arelaid (occasionally up to 12) at 2 dayintervals. The eggs are 38 to 46mm(1.5-1.8") long and 30 to 35mm (1.2-1.4") wide and will be incubated for30 to 34 days. Chicks are covered inwhite down and brooded for about 2weeks, and are fledged in 50 to 55days. After this, they will remain in thevicinity for a week or so to learn hunt-ing skills and then rapidly disperse
from the nest area.Young birds areable to breed at about 10 months.
Mortality: Barn Owls are short-lived birds. Most die in their first yearof life, with the average life expectan-cy being 1 to 2 years in the wild. InNorth America the oldest known BarnOwl in the wild lived to be 11 years, 6months. In Holland, a wild barn owllived to be 17 years, 10 months old.In England, a captive female barn
owl was retired from breeding at 25years old!
Habitat: The Barn Owl is found invirtually all habitats but much moreabundantly in open woodland, heathsand moors than forested country.They usually roost by day in tree hol-lows but have also been found incaves, wells, out-buildings or thickfoliage.
Distribution: The Barn Owl is oneof the most wide spread of all landbirds. They are found on all conti-nents (except Antarctica) and largeislands and occur over the whole ofAustralia, including Tasmania. Theyoccur throughout most of Britain andEurope and across many parts ofAsia, Africa, and in much of NorthAmerica. In South America they arefound in areas of suitable grassland,as well as on oceanic islands such asthe Galapagos. They were introducedto Hawaii in 1958.
SPOTTEDPYGMYSCREECHFLAMMULATEDBOREALHAWK
LONG-EAREDWHISKEREDELFGREAT HORNEDSHORT-EAREDBARRED
SAW-WHETSNOWYGREAT GRAYBURROWING
