Owls

        Hiya! Whassup? Well, I hope you're well, because this is probably gonna be my last post. Well, until next school year, at least. I'll probably have a goodbye blog, but I don't see why, 'casue then you wouldn't see this one. Anyway, today is all about owls. Screech owls, snowy owls, hue owls, you name it. You probably need to know what they eat, especially if you have a pet. Their personalities differ from owl to owl, so that won't be in here. You need to know when they feed and wake, and when they sleep. Now, I know what you're probably thinking, 'All owls sleep during the day, and wake at night, duh!' Well, there are some owls that do the opposite. You know, sleep during the night and hunt during the day. And, no, owls have nothing to do with Owl City. Now, if you're done chatting, we can get started.

       FUN FACT: Owls cannot turn their head completely around. That's superstition.  

        Owls are amazing, even though you'll catch me saying that about all animals. They have a unique way of avoiding people, though that's not the only reason they have their sleeping patterns. So, again, most owls sleep during the day, and hunt at night. But, like I said before, some owls sleep during the night, and feed during the day. Hang on, lemme look them up....Well, it says here that the snowy owl is a diurnal animal...oh, and diurnal is the opposite of nocturnal, which means the snowy owl is active during the day instead of the night. Here are some more diurnal owls, including the Snowy Owl:

The Northern Hawk Owl

And Burrowing Owls

        Yeah, that's very little, but those are the only owls I could find, so don't hate *coughSuperSaracough*.  But three owls is more than you knew were diurnal, am I right? Plus, they're cute owls, and I know some of you must've seen Burrowing Owls before, because some of you must've seen the movie or read the book Hoot. That was a good movie, and an even better book. Anyway, there are way too many nocturnal owls to name all of them, but I'll name a lot. After the pictures, we'll talk about the owls' diet. Here:

Barn Owl

  

Great Horned Owl

Scops Owl

Screech Owl

Eagle Owl

Fish Owl

Wood Owl

Tawny Owl

Chaco Owl

Ural Owl

Great Gray Owl

Mottled Owl

Black-banded Owl

Rufous Owl

Maned Owl

Crested Owl

Band-bellied Owl

Pygmy Owl

Owlet

Elf Owl

Long-whiskered Owl

Boreal Owl

Stygian Owl

Striped Owl

Long-eared Owl

Marsh Owl

The Little Owl

and Fearful Owl

        So that's some nocturnal owls. Not all, mind you, just some. Owls eat rodents (mice, rats, squirells, rabbits, ect.), bats, insects, snakes, snails, crab, fish, and voles. If owls get really hungry, they'll turn to eating other owls. Some can eat foxes, herons, domestic cats, domestic dogs, and there's a report of a Siberian Hawk Owl getting a ¾ grown wolf, and believe me, that's a big wolf. Well, not a big big wolf, but a big enough wolf. That must've been a big owl, especially if it carried off the carcas.

        So, don't let your pet dog or cat out, it's really dangerous. Even if you don't see an owl in your neighborhood (why would you? Most are nocturnal), don't let them out. And, though I think this goes without saying, don't let your hamster or other rodent or even your snake outside at night. Or during the day. Owls can be hungry enough to hunt during the day, you know.

        So, that's it. Hoped you learned something! I know I did. Then again, I always learn something while doing a blog. I'm afraid this is my last blog post of the school year, though if I'm bored during the summer I'll do a blog on dogs and other animals like tigers or dolphins or wolves. Don't forget to check out my snake blog below, and I'll put a link up for an owl website!

 Owl Website Link

 

Here's a funny little song I stumbled upon. It kinda has something to do with owls, mainly that you don't want them as enemys or something like that.

 

Snakes—friend or foe?

        Snakes are...interesting. They have a bad rep. I mean, in most movies and stories, the snakes are the bad guys. But why? Did it perhaps start in Adam in Eve? Or is it because of venomous snakes? Because, like bacteria, most snakes are just plain friendly. Well, not friendly, but they won't bite unless they have a reason to, and if they do bite, most aren't venomous, so they won't hurt you. Snakes are actually pretty cute and interesting. One just must learn to look past the fangs and the the stories, and examine.

       Snakes have scales, which helps the snake retain moisture. Some people think that snakes have slimy skin. That's not true. Snake skin is actually pretty soft. Not like puppy soft, but smooth. Snakes can shed their skin. They have to, because that's how they grow.

        Snakes have different ways of getting their food. But all of them use their tongue to smell. The Jacobson gland on the roof of their mouth allows this. It also allows them to taste. Now, some snakes squeeze their prey to death, like a python. Some use venom, like an anaconda. And some sneak up and kill. All of these are very good ways to get their food. Snakes eat mice, rats, birds, bunnies, insects, crustaceans, bird eggs, frogs, lizards, and other snakes. Some can even eat crocodiles! Hee hee...watch out!

        Venomous snakes usually have a triangular head. Some venomous snakes include: a copperhead

a sidewinder,

a cottonmouth,

a King Cobra,

a Deathadder

a Mojave rattlesnake

a desert horned viper

a Puff Adder

a Tigersnake

a Egyptian cobra



a forest cobra

a Ringhal

Russell's Viper

a black-necked cobra

a common taipan

and a saw-scaled viper



        Yeah, I know. That's a lot. But you need to know. Because even though most venomous snakes have triangular shaped head, by the time you get close enough to look, you'd probably be bitten. Not because they like biting, but because they see you as a threat. So...CRUNCH! And you'd need to go to a hospital. Um, not fun. You know what? I'll give you some advice, though I don't listen to it: If you see a snake, avoid it. Now, I don't follow that, so if you don't, I'm not gonna say anything, though you may get an earful from an adult. My ears'll never be the same. But the snake was cool! I don't know which one, but it was cute. We had to let him go, though, 'cause my mom threatened to throw the snake out, and me. So...yeah. I got to keep a lizard for a couple days, though, but that's another story.

        Some non-venomous snakes include:

New Mexico Milk Snake

Desert Striped Whipsnake

Checkered Garter Snake

Eastern Garder Snake

Desert King Snake

Gray-Banded Kingsnake

Great Plains Rat Snake

Ground Snake

Kansas Glossy Snake

Texas Longnosed Snake

Texas Patchnose Snake

and a Black Rat Snake



        So, those are some common snakes. Some people think you don't need to know common snakes, but if you mistaken a common snake with a venomous snake, then blame the people who thought you didn't need to know what a non-venomous snake looks like. But they're cute, aren't they? Just don't watch them it. It'll turn your stomach, and make you feel really bad for whatever it's eating.

        Now, please do me a favor. If you see a snake anywhere, don't kill it. It's cruel, and you're taking a life. Even if the snake's in your house. Just let it go, because it's most likely a garden snake, which you can see below. Well, that's it for today! Please, if you want to learn more, there's a link below. My classamate's aren't talking about the same things as me, but you can go to theirs, too. SuperSara is talking about rainbows(I gotta say, it fits), youngro-jalenguy is talking about energy, Katie's talking about bunnies, I think. She may have changed it. And Kevin's is a surprise. Goodbye! -Live Long, Stay Strong

Snake Website

SuperSara's Blog

youngro-jalenguy's blog

Katie's Blog

Kevin's Blog



Gardener Snake





Green Garden Snake



Water Snake