Owls Don't Have Eyeballs (and other facts)

Many of us, including me, find owls incredibly attractive, perhaps because their large, front-facing eyes make them look almost human.  But how many of us are aware that owls in Britain are in decline?  Not many, I suspect, because we see images of these amazing and beautiful creatures everywhere, thanks to their popularity. (And I can personally attest to that popularity as products made with owl fabrics - like the new iPad case pictured - are by far my best sellers.)  The reason for the decline is, of course, loss of habitat and nesting sites.

As a bit of a bird anorak, I was aware of this decline, but what I didn't know until quite recently is that owls don't have eyeballs.  Their eyes, about the same size and weight as human eyes, are actually tubular in shape and can't therefore move in their sockets.  To compensate, their long necks (much longer than they look!) are able to move their heads 270 degrees horizontally - which is about three-quarters of a circle - and 90 degrees vertically.  This incredible flexibility makes complete sense once you know why they have it (and I'd wondered for years!).  Isn't nature amazing...?

Thankfully, our British owls' decline can be reversed - visit the World Owl Trust to see the wonderful work they do (and donate £1 if you can).  And this important work won't just help owls - many other bird and animal species are also in serious decline as a result of habitat loss, so they too will benefit.  :)