An owl is a nocturnal bird of prey with large forward-facing eyes, a flat face, and exceptional hunting abilities. Unlike most birds, owls are active at night, using their extraordinary vision and hearing to hunt small animals like mice, rabbits, and insects in complete darkness.

Owls have several remarkable adaptations. Their eyes are so large they can't move them in their sockets, so they rotate their heads up to 270 degrees to look around. Their flight feathers have special edges that muffle sound, allowing them to swoop down on prey in near-total silence. Many owls can hear a mouse moving under a foot of snow.

Different owl species live on every continent except Antarctica. The tiny elf owl stands just five inches tall, while the great gray owl has a wingspan of five feet. Barn owls have heart-shaped faces and live in barns and old buildings. Snowy owls, made famous by Hedwig in the Harry Potter books, inhabit the Arctic tundra.

Throughout history, owls have symbolized wisdom, perhaps because their large eyes and serious expressions make them look thoughtful and intelligent. The ancient Greeks associated owls with Athena, their goddess of wisdom. Today we still use phrases like wise old owl and night owl (someone who stays up late).