An owlet is a baby owl. Just like we call baby cats kittens and baby dogs puppies, we call young owls owlets. When owlets first hatch from their eggs, they're covered in fluffy white or gray down feathers that make them look like tiny cotton balls with enormous eyes. They can't fly yet and depend completely on their parents to bring them food.

Owlets stay in the nest for several weeks, growing rapidly and developing the flight feathers they'll need to hunt on their own. During this time, parent owls are incredibly busy, hunting to feed their hungry chicks. Young owlets practice flapping their wings and hopping around the nest before they're ready for their first flight. Even after they leave the nest, owlets may stay near their parents for weeks or months, learning the skills they need to survive: how to hunt silently, how to recognize prey, and how to navigate in darkness.