Owls: The Majestic Hunters
By Stan Tekiela
()
About this ebook
- Popular, proven format: replaces Intriguing Owls (9781591930624), which sold more than 20,000 copies
- Market: According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, about 20% of the population are active birdwatchers, spending more than $40 billion on the hobby, annually
- Highly stylized, beautiful book
- Author routinely attracts more than 100 people to his speaking events and writes a popular column distributed to newspapers in the Midwest and Northeast
- Perhaps nothing generates more positive feedback for the author than the newspaper columns he has been writing for more than 25 years
- Readers have become fans of Tekiela’s style and flair for nature observations and interpretations
- Reader’s experience: simple, concise text complements stunning images that highlight the lives of owls
- Owls are more popular than ever, and owl-related items are sought-after gifts and souvenirs
- Softcover with flaps—coffee table appeal for less than $20
Read more from Stan Tekiela
Birds of Michigan Field Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Trees of the Carolinas Field Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Birds of Texas Field Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBirds of Florida Field Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTrees of Michigan Field Guide Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Bird Trivia: Funny, Strange and Incredible Facts about North American Birds Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTrees of Ohio Field Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Birds of Colorado Field Guide Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Birds of the Carolinas Field Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Trees of Texas Field Guide Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Birds of Pennsylvania Field Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Birds of California Field Guide Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Birds of Ohio Field Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBirds of Arizona Field Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Trees of Missouri Field Guide Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Birds of New York Field Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Birds of Minnesota Field Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBirds of Missouri Field Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Trees of Arizona Field Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Birds of Georgia Field Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Trees of Minnesota Field Guide Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Birds of New Mexico Field Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBirds of Washington Field Guide Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Birds of Oregon Field Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBirds of Wisconsin Field Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTrees of Wisconsin Field Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Birds of Indiana Field Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Trees of Indiana Field Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTrees of New York Field Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bald Eagles: The Ultimate Raptors Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to Owls
Related ebooks
RSPB Spotlight Bats Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHummingbirds: Marvels of the Bird World Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Wild Child's Guide to Endangered Animals Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5RSPB Spotlight Ducks and Geese Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWeird Birds Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5World's Weirdest Reptiles Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Hedgehog Handbook Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Science, Conservation, and National Parks Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTaming Fruit: How Orchards Have Transformed the Land, Offered Sanctuary and Inspired Creativity Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsExtreme Conservation: Life at the Edges of the World Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Reef: the Great Barrier Reef from Captain Cook to climate change Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Reptiles of Costa Rica: A Field Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Ornaments of Life: Coevolution and Conservation in the Tropics Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsVultures of the World: Essential Ecology and Conservation Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWilder: How Rewilding is Transforming Conservation and Changing the World Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Biology and Ecology of Giant Kelp Forests Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsForget Me Not: Finding the forgotten species of climate-change Britain – WINNER OF THE PEOPLE'S BOOK PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPollination: The Enduring Relationship between Plant and Pollinator Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Most Perfect Thing: Inside (and Outside) a Bird’s Egg Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5History of the World in 100 Animals Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Inglorious: Conflict in the Uplands Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Survivors: The Animals and Plants that Time has Left Behind (Text Only) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Know Your Pollinators Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fishes: A Guide to Their Diversity Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Rocky Outcrops in Australia: Ecology, Conservation and Management Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCurlew Moon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Why Birds Matter: Avian Ecological Function and Ecosystem Services Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSpirals in Time: The Secret Life and Curious Afterlife of Seashells Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Re-Origin of Species: a second chance for extinct animals Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Ascent of Birds: How Modern Science is Revealing their Story Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Nature For You
Foraging for Survival: Edible Wild Plants of North America Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSilent Spring Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lucky Dog Lessons: From Renowned Expert Dog Trainer and Host of Lucky Dog: Reunions Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Solace of Open Spaces: Essays Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5My Family and Other Animals Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5SAS Survival Handbook, Third Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The God Delusion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5H Is for Hawk Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Forager's Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Well-Gardened Mind: The Restorative Power of Nature Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beyond Coffee: A Sustainable Guide to Nootropics, Adaptogens, and Mushrooms Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hunt for the Skinwalker: Science Confronts the Unexplained at a Remote Ranch in Utah Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fantastic Fungi: How Mushrooms Can Heal, Shift Consciousness, and Save the Planet Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Norwegian Wood: Chopping, Stacking, and Drying Wood the Scandinavian Way Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Shelter: A Love Letter to Trees Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Heartbeat of Trees: Embracing Our Ancient Bond with Forests and Nature Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary of Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Edible Wild Plants Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Corfu Trilogy: My Family and Other Animals; Birds, Beasts and Relatives; and The Garden of the Gods Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Complete Language of Flowers: A Definitive and Illustrated History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of Fungi: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species from around the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for Owls
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Owls - Stan Tekiela
Snowy Owl
Intriguing owls
Owls have intrigued me ever since I became fascinated with birds. Mysterious birds of prey with interesting behaviors and large eyes, they appear to have great intelligence. Owls hunt when people can’t see them—under the cover of darkness, creating even more intrigue. Like the wolf and mountain lion, owls are top predators and command our respect. While I continue to enjoy birds of every shape, color, and size, I invariably search out the owls to study and photograph. Here is their extraordinary story.
Stan Tekiela
Short-eared Owl
Western Screech-Owl
Elf Owl
The owl family
Owls are widespread around the world, with the exception of a few places such as Antarctica and some small isolated islands. While many people mistakenly believe that owls are Northern birds found only in cold and snowy latitudes, over half of the world’s owls actually occur farther South, in tropical and neotropical regions. Of all the nearly 11,000-plus species of birds in the world, less than 3% are owls, but that’s still roughly 250 wonderful owl species for us to appreciate and admire.
All owls are members of a group, or scientific order, called Strigiformes. Strigiformes is separated into two distinguished families—Strigidae and Tytonidae. Strigidae includes typical owls such as the Barred Owl. The family Tytonidae, consisting of barn owls and other types, includes the aptly named Barn Owl.
Species diversity
There are 19 owl species in the United States and Canada. An extremely diverse group, these owls range in size from the tiny Elf Owl to the hefty Snowy Owl. About the size of a sparrow and sporting a 13-inch wingspan, the Elf Owl is the world’s smallest owl, weighing just under a dainty 1½ ounces. The Great Gray Owl is our tallest owl, standing 27 inches tall and weighing 2½ pounds. The Snowy Owl is the heaviest owl in North America and the second tallest. It has an impressive wingspan of 4½–5 feet, weighs over 4 pounds, and stands 23 inches tall.
The remainder of our beloved owls fall within these extremes. The Eastern Screech-Owl often lives in our backyards, making its home in natural cavities or man-made wooden nest boxes. The dark-eyed Barred Owl entertains us in the evening with its raucous calls. While the Barn Owl takes up residency in our barns and other outbuildings, the Great Horned Owl—the most common of all North American owls—can be found in nearly any habitat, from deserts and forests to the seaside and mountains.
Long-eared Owl
Owls from coast to coast
Every state in the country has at least two to three owl species. Distribution is uneven from East to West, and the number of species increases going West.
Northeastern states, including New England, have six to seven species, with the Barred Owl and Great Horned Owl being fairly common.
Excluding Florida, Southeastern states are home to four to five species, among them the Eastern Screech-Owl and Barn Owl. Florida and Midwestern states as far west as Nebraska and the Dakotas host six to seven species. The upper Midwest also has six to seven species, with the famed Great Gray Owl and Snowy Owl making their appearances during the winter months. In the far Northwest, Alaska has at least seven species that include the Northern Hawk Owl and Short-eared Owl.
The species number jumps to eight or nine in Western states such as Idaho, Colorado, and New Mexico. Southeastern Arizona, home to the Elf Owl and the extremely uncommon Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, has 10 species, as do eastern Oregon and Washington—all of which are resident states of the Northern Saw-whet Owl and Burrowing Owl.
Western Oregon, Washington, and much of California have the highest diversity of owls, with a total of 11 species, including the Long-eared Owl and Western Screech-Owl. Most of the species living in these states are also found in the Eastern United States.
Snowy Owl