What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds

by Jennifer Ackerman

And while the brains of birds may be small overall, it turns out that in many species, they’re densely packed with neurons, small neurons. This gives the brains of some birds, such as parrots and corvids, more information-processing units than most mammalian brains and the same cognitive capabilities as monkeys, and even great apes.

But for some migratory birds, going “off route” may be a way of charting an escape from a depleted prey base or human-induced climate change or habitat destruction.

Snowy Owls don’t tolerate skuas or Arctic Foxes near their nests, and studies show that Red-breasted Geese reproduce more successfully when they nest close to the nests of the big, aggressive owls. Songbirds nesting under the “predator protection” of Ural Owls in Finland enjoy a similar benefit. The owls chase away nest predators while defending their own nests, and also eat other predators in their territory, such as crows and weasels. The protective effect radiates several hundred yards from the nest. What a lovely upsetting of the traditional view of predator-prey relationships.

There or not there, Barry would enchant the landscape. And, like all owls, remind us that we are always perched on the edge of mystery.

But many owl species are at risk from the disappearance of the big old-growth trees that once harbored their nesting hollows and the vast meadows and grasslands that served as their hunting grounds, from the threat of invasive species and rodenticides, and from the widespread effects of climate change.

Owls living on islands are perhaps the most vulnerable in the world. Most of the owl species tottering on the threshold of extinction today are island dwellers,

The loss of native habitat is the single greatest threat to owl populations. In the past centuries, urbanization, deforestation, and agricultural development have stripped many owls of their forest and grassland habitats.

The idea that Snowy Owls, creatures lodged so deeply in our psyches, might vanish—to have that magic and then to lose it—is unfathomable and points to the urgency of doing everything we can to save these birds.

Scientists have just begun to glean the impacts of human-induced climate change on owls. Shifting temperature can uncouple the availability of prey with the timing of breeding and nestling needs.

Scientists predict that within this century, aspen forests may all but disappear in many parts of North America, and along with them, the cavities so many owls depend on for nesting.

One very important step is getting a handle on the populations of owls, says Holt. “The truth is, for most species, we don’t know the numbers.” Owl populations are not easy to monitor. Some species move around with the seasons and from year to year in pursuit of pockets of reliable prey, and their movements are still not well understood, so they’re hard to keep track of. Most studies collect data for a few seasons at most, “and there’s no way that short-term studies can provide robust data,” says Holt. “There are just too many fluctuations. To get a true picture of populations, you need to monitor them for a lifetime.”

“We need to standardize methods of monitoring and gear them specifically to owls,” says Holt. “That’s the only way we’ll get the reliable information we need on population status, habitat, and long-term trends to create sound conservation programs.”

In India, on the night of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, is said to travel the earth, visiting homes lit with lamps. In Hindu mythology, owls are considered the vahana (or vehicle) of Lakshmi. Some people believe that killing an owl—although it’s illegal to do so—will trap Lakshmi in their house, bringing them good luck and wealth all year round. As a consequence, the Festival of Lights brings death to thousands of owls.