The barn owl, also known as the “ullu” in Nepali, is a type of owl that preys on small animals. Barn owls are nocturnal and are known to hunt only at night.
Barn owls are relatively stable and have particularly keen eyesight. Their heart-shaped face is flexible, and they can rotate their facial disk to look back over their shoulder. Even without using their eyes during the day, they can still see in total darkness during the night. Their hearing ability is also stronger at night compared to the daytime. This makes barn owls very clever and stealthy hunters. Being carnivorous, their diet includes small birds, insects, rodents like rats, mice, and also animal meat like lizards and frogs.
Barn owls can fly silently and their wings are soft, fringed, and feathered. This allows them to glide silently, making it difficult for their prey to notice their presence. Their hunting group is known as a parliament.
In Hinduism, barn owls are considered the vehicle of Goddess Lakshmi, symbolizing wealth and prosperity.
Keeping barn owls as pets in the United States is illegal as they are believed to bring bad luck in South Africa. They can hunt even larger animals than themselves. They mostly keep their offspring in other’s nests. In the world, the smallest barn owls measure around 5 inches and weigh approximately 40 grams.
Some interesting facts about barn owls are:
- They are one of the two species of owls found worldwide.
- They are the only owls that can see the color blue.
- Barn owls can’t see in daylight and only see in complete darkness during the night.
- They can rotate their neck up to 270 degrees.
- Barn owls can eat more than 1,000 mice in a year.
- They can see a three-dimensional image of any object by tilting their heads.
- They are believed to be a symbol of wisdom and prosperity.
- According to Hinduism, they are the vehicle of Goddess Lakshmi.
- Their ears are highly sensitive and help them locate prey even in the dark.
- The lifespan of barn owls is around 20 to 25 years.
- They have broad wings which help them fly silently without making any noise.
(Note: The information in this response is based on general knowledge about barn owls and may not be specific to Nepali barn owls.)
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