Written by Sarah Dugan, Naturalist Kroening Nature Center
If you have visited Kroening Nature Center recently you may have noticed the oversized owl greeting visitors from above the front door. This sculpture by Allison Heimstead represents the great horned owl, one of the more common owls in the Twin Cities. Named for the feathered ear-like tufts on their heads, these owls can have a wingspan of over four feet (though still smaller than our friendly greeter). They feed mostly on small mammals such as mice and rabbits, but will eat any animals they catch, even skunks.
Like other owls, great horned owls have relatively large, forward-facing eyes that are shaped more like tubes than balls. This tube shape means their eyes have evolved to be fixed in place; owls must move their heads to scan their environment. There are actually 14 vertebrae in an owl’s neck, compared to seven in humans, allowing for much more flexibility, giving the impression they can turn their head all the way around and upside down. In reality they have a range of about 135° in each direction. In addition to relatively large pupils, many owls have a high ratio of rods to cones in their retina. Cones provide color vision, but rods are much more sensitive to light, which helps nocturnal owls, like the great horned, find food.
Not all owl species hunt at night, but they all have excellent hearing to help find food in thick grass, under snow, and yes, in the dark. The distinctive circle of feathers around many species’ eyes and face actually serves as a sort of reflector, directing sound into the ears. Additionally, many species have ears that are slightly offset from each other, which helps the owl triangulate the location of a sound such as a scurrying mouse or a buzzing dragonfly. Owls themselves can move almost silently as they swoop down from trees or fly low over the ground to catch prey. Their flight feathers are lightly fringed on the edges, making their wing beats much quieter than other birds.
To catch prey, an owl’s sharp-taloned toes are able to adjust to grasp with two toes in front and two in the back, exerting impressive force. Though known for their eyesight, owls are farsighted and actually can’t see very well up close. Touch-sensitive feathers, called filoplumes, on their feet and beaks help them sense what they have caught for dinner. Depending on the size, their sharp curved beak can act as a knife to tear larger food into pieces they can swallow whole.
Winter is a good time to look for owls, as daytime roosts near the trunks of trees and in nesting cavities are easier to spot. Several species, including the great horned, also begin courting in January. Though there are 12 species native to Minnesota, most prefer more rural areas and several never venture further south than Duluth. However, great horned, barred, screech and long-eared owls have all been spotted in Minneapolis parks. Come to the nature center to check out our owl sculpture and borrow a pair of binoculars to look for live owls in the tall cottonwoods around our prairie.
Nature Tots: Ready for Winter · Saturday, January 4, 10:30-11:30 a.m. | Free | Ages 2-6 | Activity #15438. The chill of winter is settling in, so how do animals survive outside in the cold all winter long? Learn some of the strategies Minnesota animals use to keep safe, warm and fed during the coldest months of the year.
Homeschool Day: Orienteering · Thursday, January 9, 12:30-2:30 p.m. | Free for residents | Ages 5-11 | Activity #15470. Earth’s magnetic field can help you find your way. Learn how to use a compass, then practice your navigation skills by following a hidden course through the woods.
Bird Watching: Feathered Fridays · Friday, January 10, 9-10:30 a.m. | $5/person | Ages 18+ | Activity #15599. Learn about bird diets, calls and other behaviors, as well as distinguishing characteristics, while strolling through different habitats. All experience levels welcome, binoculars available.
Family Funday: Winter Recreation · Saturday, January 11, 10:30 a.m.-noon | Free | All ages | Activity #15451. Get out for some winter fun! Go for a hike with our snowshoes, try out a kick-sled, and play some winter games. If there’s no snow, we will still head outside to play and explore.
Nature Art: Art in the Landscape: Snow and Ice · Saturday, January 18, 1:30-2:30 p.m. | Free | All ages | Activity #15441. Sculpt and create with the nature around you! Make structures and patterns with ice and snow and add color to the wintery landscape.
Nature in Focus: Tracks and Signs · Saturday, January 25, 1–2:30 p.m. | $5/person | 18+ | Activity #15716. Discover another way to ‘see’ animals in the park through learning their tracks and signs. Learn how and where to look for animal tracks, then go for a walk to practice tracking and learn more about local animals and their behavior.