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I am not a big business...I am just an owl lover doing what I can to help owls. My "store" is located in my daughter's spare bedroom, and I have other job. My love affair with owls started many years ago: I always love and respect these fascinating birds of prey so I started a big collection of owl stuffs. Then I decided to be more involved in owl researches trying to save these beautiful birds and to support organizations that support habitat conservation.
OWLS
Owls are a group of birds of prey. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions (e.g. the Burrowing Owl). They are classified in the order Strigiformes, in which there are over 200 extant species. Owls mostly hunt small mammals, insects, and other birds, though a few species specialize in hunting fish. They are found in all regions of the Earth except Antarctica, most of Greenland, and some remote islands. Though owls are typically solitary, the literary collective noun for a group of owls is a parliament. The living owls are divided into two families: the typical owls, Strigidae, and the barn-owls, Tytonidae.
Owls have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and usually a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disc. Although owls have binocular vision, their large eyes are fixed in their sockets, as with other birds, and they must turn their entire head to change views. Owls are far-sighted, and are unable to clearly see anything within a few inches of their eyes. Their far vision, particularly in low light, is incredibly good, and they can turn their head 135 degrees in either direction; they can thus look behind their own shoulders. It is not correct, however, that they can turn the head so far as to face completely backwards. Different species of owls make different sounds; the wide range of calls aids owl species in finding mates or announcing their presence to potential competitors, and ornithologists and birders in locating these birds and recognizing species. The facial disc helps to funnel the sound of prey to their ears. In many species, these are placed asymmetrically, for better directional location (Norberg, 1977).
Most owls are nocturnal, actively hunting for prey only under cover of darkness. Several types of owl, however, are crepuscular, or active during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk; one example is the pygmy owl (Glaucidium). A few owls are also active during the day; examples are the Burrowing Owl (Speotyto cunicularia) and the Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus). Much of the owl's hunting strategy depends on stealth and surprise. Owls have at least two adaptations that aid them in achieving stealth. First, the dull coloration of an owl's feathers can render them almost invisible under certain conditions. Secondly, the owl's remiges, or flight feathers, have fluffy trailing edges, muffling the owl's wingbeats and allowing its flight to be practically silent. Some fish-eating owls, which have no need of silence, lack this adaptation. Elf owls also lack the feathers for silent flying. Once prey has been captured, the owl's sharp beak and powerful clawed feet allow it to tear the food to pieces before eating, even though most items are swallowed whole. Scientists studying the diets of owls are helped by their habit of regurgitating the indigestible parts of their prey (bones, scales, fur, etc.) in the form of pellets. These "owl pellets" are often sold by companies to schools to be dissected by students as a lesson in biology and ecology, because they are plentiful and easy to interpret. Owl eggs are white and almost spherical, and range in number from a few to a dozen, depending on species. Their nests are crudely built and may be in trees, underground burrows, or in barns and caves. The smallest owl is the Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi), at as little as 31 g (1.1 oz) and 13.5 cm (5.3 inches). Some of the pygmy owls are scarcely larger. The largest owls are the two of the eagle owls, the Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) and Blakiston's Fish Owl (Bubo blakistoni), which may reach a size of 76.2 cm (30 in) long, have a wingspan of just over 2 m (6.6 ft), and weigh of nearly 4.5 kg (10 lb).
MYTH, LORE AND POPULAR CULTURE
In many parts of the world, owls have been associated with death and misfortune, likely due to their nocturnal activity and common screeching call. However, owls have also been associated with wisdom and prosperity as a result of frequently being companion animals for goddesses.Henry David Thoreau summarized one perception of owls, when he wrote in 1854's Walden, "I rejoice that there are owls. Let them do the idiotic and maniacal hooting for men. It is a sound admirably suited to swamps and twilight woods which no day illustrates, suggesting a vast and underdeveloped nature which men have not recognized. They represent the stark twilight and unsatisfied thoughts which all [men] have."In the culture of many Native Americans, (e.g. the Native American Hopi nation), taboos often surround owls and they are often associated with evil or sorcery. Like eagle feathers, the possession of owl feathers as religious objects is regulated by federal law (e.g. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and Title 50 Part 22 Code of Federal Regulations).The Aztecs and Mayans, along with other natives of Mesoamerica, considered the Owl a symbol of death and destruction. In fact, the Aztec god of death, Mictlantecuhtli, was often depicted with owls. There is a saying in Spanish that still exists today: cuando el tecolote canta, el indio se muere ( "when the owl cries/sings, the Indian dies" ). Other Native American Tribes saw the owl as the carrier of the elders' spirits.In Japanese culture, owls are seen as either negative or positive symbols depending on species. Owls are seen as divine messengers of the gods while Barn or Horned owls are perceived as demonic figures.In Indian culture, a white owl is considered a companion of the goddess of wealth, and therefore a harbinger of prosperity. The owl has been adapted as an emblem to reflect its implications of wisdom ( Wise old owl ) by a revered military institution in India known as the Defence Service Staff College. In colloquial use, however, it is commonly used to refer to stupidity. The demoness Lilith is thought to have been associated with (screech) owls as well, by way of the KJV translation of the passage in Isaiah 34:14. Prior to the rise of Islam, owls were considered bad omens and associated with evil spirits in most Middle Eastern pagan traditions. In modern times, although such superstitions are less prevalent, owls are still popularly considered "evil" because of their fierce, horrific appearance.In Greek mythology, the owl, and specifically the Little Owl, was often associated with the goddess Athena, a bird goddess who became associated with wisdom, the arts, and skills, and as a result, owls also became associated with wisdom. They are the unofficial mascot of the high-IQ society Mensa.The Romans, in addition to having borrowed the Greek associations of the owl (see Owl of Minerva), also considered owls to be funerary birds, due to their nocturnal activity and often having their nests in inaccessible places. As a result, seeing an owl in the daytime was considered a bad omen. The vampiric strix of Roman mythology was in part based on the owl.Likewise, in Romanian culture, the mournful call of an owl is thought to predict the death of somebody living in the neighbourhood. Such superstitions caused a minor disturbance when an owl showed up at Romanian President's residence, Cotroceni Palace.In the Welsh Cycles of the Mabinogion, the Owl is considered cursed - the first owl was Blodeuedd, a woman born of flowers to be the wife of Lleu Llaw Gyffes. Because she fell in love with another man and plotted to kill Lleu, Lleu's guardian Gwydion turned her into the first owl, saying "You are never to show your face to the light of day, rather you shall fear other birds; they will be hostile to you, and it will be their nature to maul and molest you wherever they find you. You will not lose your name but always be called Blodeuwedd." The addition of the w in her name changed her from a woman of flowers to an owl.In Finland the owl is paradoxically viewed as both a symbol of wisdom, and as a symbol of imbecility (presumably because of it's "dumb" stare).
Madame Chouette Vintage and Second hand store selling affordable vintage clothing for men and women, shoes and accessories, housewares, books, antiques, bric-a-brac, collectables, records, rock & roll memorabilia, postcards, handmade dolls house components and so much more!
Whether you're an owl collector or just someone who loves owls, I have something for you. My goal is to help you to learn about, appreciate, help, and have fun with owls. Remember: buying something from my store helps owls.
Some of the products I carry are from organizations that help owls through education, rehabilitation, and/or research. Sales of these items return profits to these organizations to help them with their work. Any profits over and above website expenses go to help with owl research. My goal truly is to help owls, not to make money hand over fist. Please keep this in mind when your realize you can buy the books I carry at less than retail price from other commercial websites that don't work to help owls. Proceeds from the sale of books go to Local Owls Rehabilitation Center to help with their owl education efforts. All other profits are used to fund owl research.
Want an owl for a pet?
Many people think it would be fun to have an owl for a pet, especially after watching the Harry Potter movies or reading the books.
How many times do you see Harry wiping up owl poop? Gutting dead animals? Do you see Hedwig having a conniption from being in such a small cage? Do the Weasleys take Errol to the veterinarian? Remember: that is FANTASY, not real life.
It is illegal to keep owls without a special permit in most countries. Some countries issue permits to individuals to keep owls after necessary training has been received and proper facilities have been constructed.
TOP 10 REASONS YOU DON'T WANT AN OWL FOR A PET
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It's not very easy to take a vacation...after all, you can't just take an owl with you!
And if you leave the owl at home, who's going to feed it and take care of it? If it's strongly attached to you (which most human-imprinted owls will be), your absence will be hard on the bird, and it will let you know it when you return.
Owls don't like change, so don't expect that you can just give your owl to someone else if you don't like it--that would be VERY hard on the owl.
Owls can be really hard on knick-knacks and woodwork. They have a natural instinct to "kill" things and then tear them up.
This leads to shredded and broken knick-knacks, torn-up towels and socks, unstuffed stuffed animals, and just about anything else you can think of (and many things you wouldn't have ever thought of!).
Anything wooden that an owl perches on will have its finish removed bit by bit over the years just from the normal gentle pressure of the talons. This does nothing to increase the value of your home!
Mating season involves a lot of all-night racket! Are you willing to put up with the all-night hooting or tooting of an owl during mating season? If it's a human-imprinted owl, all that noise will likely be directed at YOU.
Owls don't like to be petted and cuddled.
You have to do things on their terms, and traditional "petting" doesn't fit into the owl scheme of things.
If you want an animal you can pet and cuddle, get a cat or a dog.
Owls do like to play, but their play can be rough. Remember, a human-imprinted owl is going to consider you one of its own kind, and will look to you for all its companionship needs, including play. Try playing with something that has eight sharp talons and a sharp beak and you have a recipe for a lot of cuts, bruises and scratches, even though they are unintentional on the owl's part. Poop, poop, and more poop! Owls can't be litter trained, so they just poop wherever they happen to be. Even if you have a large amount of your house covered with floor protectors, there is still a heck of a lot of cleaning to be done on a very regular basis. Even if you clean it up every day you're still likely to step in some poop in the middle of the night when you get up to go to the bathroom. Then there's ceca: owls have two dead-end sacs at the end of their intestines called ceca. They empty these sacs once per day, and it comes out as a hideously smelly, brown, tarry poop that stains terribly. Feathers and pellets show up in the darndest places. Owls molt nearly all of their feathers every year. That's thousands of feathers. If you think you can keep them all cleaned up, you're dreaming! Owls throw up their pellet of fur and bones once each day, wherever they happen to be. They smell and are covered with mucous when they first come out. Some pellets have very little fur and basically come out as an unformed pile of bones. Try keeping those cleaned up! Food! First of all, you need a steady stream of whole, adult animals to feed an owl. Where will you get them? How expensive will they be? Then you have to commit part of your freezer (or a whole freezer) to storage of these dead animals. Then you get to thaw one out every night the rest of your life (or for as long as you have an owl.) For many owls you have to cut them open and remove the stomach, intestines, and liver. If you don't you'll find yourself peeling intestines and liver off the floor and walls of your home. Then there are the leftovers: owls have an instinct to cache, or hide, their leftover food. Sometimes it's difficult to find the caches and you have to wait a few days until it starts stinking to find it.
You can't just put an owl in an outdoor pen and ignore it most of the time. Many captive owls are imprinted on humans ( think they are humans ), so they will want ( and demand ) human attention. If they don't get it, they may sit out there and do begging calls until they get the attention they are after. They also need to be flown regularly for exercise ( if they aren't permanently injured ). This takes time and training. You need to know a lot about owls before you get one. You need to know things like what types of perching surfaces they need to avoid chances of foot infections, which foods to avoid feeding them, how to tell when they are sick ( plus you need a veterinarian who knows how to care for owls ), what type of regular maintenance needs to be done on talons and beaks, and a million other things. There is a lot to know since you're 100% responsible for every need of a captive owl. You need to be committed ( in more ways than one! ) to honestly consider yourself willing and capable of taking on such an enormous responsibility. After all, the smaller owls can easily live over 10 years, and the larger owls can make it to 50 years or more!