Owls

The first time I set eyes on an owl, I got hooked. We have owls in Singapore but not many people see them as they are nocturnal and quite shy. Sadly owls are misunderstood and some still believe that they are linked to black magic. Older folk who are still steeped in old beliefs don't like owls very much. Living next to a nature reserve, I remember my mum disliking the call of owls in the night. These days I hardly hear them in the still of the night.

Being night hunters, owls have very keen senses of sight and hearing. Some owls have specialized feathers on their wings that allow them to fly without making a sound, so that they do not scare off their prey. Lastly, they have very sharp claws on their feet that keep a tight grasp on their prey.

Barred Eagle Owls once lived in our forest but today they are locally extinct. This is probably due to habitat loss as these owls need a lot of natural hunting ground with abundant prey to survive. They are birds that can live up to twenty years and each pair, pairs for life. 

This adult individual lives on a golf course in Johor. This wild pair are lucky to have been given VIP status and are very secure in their adopted home since the people who work there respect their space. He and his mate have successfully brought up a number of chicks over the years but no one know if they survive to be proud adults like their parents after they leave. Large owls such as the eagle owl only produces one chick a year, and the pair will painstakingly raises that chick.  I was lucky to have an opportunity to see this chick from this year's nesting.

 Recently, I had a chance to get acquainted with two awesome owls that aren't from this region.

The great-horned owl

The Eurasian eagle owl