We have been learning about owls a lot this month for our family homeschool curriculum, so I was super excited to take the kiddos to this event that was right here on our island, where the kids got some real hands on, up close encounters with real owls!
The Whidbey Audubon Society presented the “Bird In the Hand Festival”, a hands-on bird discovery event at the Coupeville High School. The festival is a free family educational event which showcases a large number of bird specimens from their extensive state and federally permitted bird specimen collection.
The Whidbey Audubon Society has developed the collection of specimens mostly from birds that have been brought to them from community members who find birds in their yards that have met an untimely demise. A team of trained bird preparers under the watchful eye of Matt Klope, a local taxidermist, prepare the birds as specimens to be used as educational bird ambassadors at many of Whidbey Audubon Society’s programs and community events held throughout the year.
The Whidbey Audubon website explains the importance and significance of the event for children, “Because birds are designed to be illusive and often disappear in the blink of an eye, even binoculars are not always enough to closely observe them. The bird specimens provide attendees an opportunity to gently pick up a bird and closely examine what it looks like. What better way to observe the vibrant color patterns on a Towhee, Mallard duck or a hummingbird? Owl ears can be revealed. Feather patterns can be seen under a microscope.”
In addition to the hands on booths of literally hundreds of local birds, children were welcomed with activities designed just for them from arts and crafts to storybooks and coloring pages. Oh! And falconers brought their live birds of prey for meet and greets!
I do have to say, watching Matt Klope actively taxidermy a great horned owl and being able to ask questions about the art of taxidermy was the absolute highlight of our trip. The kids got to hold, touch, and feel the owl being worked on (my middle wild child even poked its eyeball!) and it was the absolute perfect experience to top off all the things we had been learning and reading about owls all month.
So if you are your littles are learning about these fascinating nocturnal birds of prey, in this post I’m going to share with you 10 fun facts about owls that will make you and your kids fall in love with these amazing birds, too!
1. Owls are found on every continent except for Antarctica, and they come in many different sizes and colors.
2. Owls are carnivores, which means that they only eat meat. Their diet consists of small mammals, birds, fish, and even insects.
3. Owls have large eyes that are fixed in their sockets, which means they cannot move their eyes like we can. Instead, they have to move their entire head to look around.
4. Owls have excellent hearing, which helps them locate prey in the dark. Their ears are located on the sides of their head, and they are asymmetrical, which means one ear is higher than the other. This helps them determine the direction of a sound.
5. Owls are silent fliers, thanks to their specialized feathers. These feathers have a fringed edge that muffles the sound of their wings as they fly.
6. Owls are known for their distinctive hoots, but did you know that they make other sounds too? Some species of owls hiss, whistle, or even scream!
7. Owls are capable of turning their heads almost all the way around. They can turn their heads up to 270 degrees, which is helpful when hunting prey.
8. The smallest owl in the world is the Elf Owl, which is only about 5 inches tall. The largest owl is the Eurasian Eagle-Owl, which can weigh up to 10 pounds!
9. Owls are birds of myth and legend. In many cultures, they are associated with wisdom, magic, and even death.
10. Owls have been featured in many popular works of literature and media, including the Harry Potter series, where they play an important role as messengers and guardians.
So there you have it, 10 fun facts about owls that are sure to get your kids excited about learning! Owls (and so many other birds!) are amazing creatures that are well worth studying, and I hope this post has inspired you to learn even more about these fascinating birds. And if you ever get a chance to visit an Audubon Society Bird in Hand Festival ABSOLUTELY DO IT!!! You won’t be sorry! Thanks for reading, and happy homeschooling!
Since the era of Charlemagne