(CNN) — Magnificent Owl (Magnificent Owl in Spanish). No, wait, the Super Bowl.
It was too late.
Instead of information about the Super Bowl, it only takes one small typo and your search results are filled with content about owls. And we want to encourage you to turn from that mistake. Because owls are truly “magnificent”.
These birds are far from the world of American football, but the trend has gained considerable popularity over the years. So much so that many people flood the internet with photos of owls every year before the Super Bowl.
Matt Williams, director of conservation for The Nature Conservancy’s Indiana division, says the Internet phenomenon puts these feathered creatures in the spotlight, which ultimately helps raise awareness.
“Anything that helps spread the message about the importance of conservation is good,” he said.
A cold-blooded predator
Owls are quite interesting. Some people think they’re innocent balls of fluff, but according to Williams, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
“Owls are voracious predators that hunt primarily at night and use a keen sense of hearing to locate their prey,” he explained in an email.
Its disc-shaped face directs sound toward your ear, allowing you to hear quieter sounds, Williams said. Their feathers are designed to be almost completely silent while flying, a useful tactic for sneaking up on prey, he added.
Seth Magal, director of the Urban Wildlife Institute at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo, said most owls are content to feast on small mammals such as mice and shrews.
Some larger owls, such as great horned owls, may also take rabbits, skunks or other owls, Williams said.
See owls in the wild
Your experience with Owl doesn’t have to be limited to the internet. Communities across the United States host educational events about these nocturnal animals that include nature walks.
The Leslie Science and Nature Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, will host an owl event on Sunday morning. The center will have a resident owl on display, and people will be able to dissect owl pellets, which are the undigested parts of their food that they regurgitate.
Why not venture out this weekend to meet these fascinating creatures? It will be fun.
Now meet some magnificent owls
There are over 250 species of owls, and we want to introduce you to some of our favorites.
The great gray owl eschews the traditional hoot and prefers a low-pitched “hoo.”
Many people think that all owls make hooting sounds, but this is not the case. Great gray owls don’t hoot, Williams said, but make a series of low-pitched “hooses.”
The short-eared owl chooses a variety of landscapes to make its home.
Short-eared owls are found in grasslands and wetlands, like other owls that live in forests, Williams said.
If you’re hoping to hear an owl hoot, keep an eye out for a barred owl.
Barred owls are very vocal birds that can often be heard making traditional hooting sounds, said Charles Aldermayer, head of the Bird Cams Project at the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.
When you think of owls with bright eyes and stunning faces, you probably think of great horned owls.
Aldermayer explains that great horned owls are known for their iconic ear tufts and cat-like eyes. You can watch live on camera what happens in the nest of a pair of great horned owls near Savannah, Georgia.
The owl marches to the beat of its own drum.
Unlike most owls, he lives his life. Magale said that instead of being active at night and living in trees, this bird spends the day awake and makes its home on the ground.
