Owls & Other Birds of Prey by Fun For Kidz

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Owls & Other Birds of Prey

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Owls & Other Birds of Prey

4 9 10

4 The Great Horned Owl ACTIVITIES: 6 Pizza Ollie Owl Puzzles: 2, 16, 17 8 Owls That Live in the Ground Science: 13 9 Banding the Burrowing Owl Crafts & Cooking: 15 10 Whooo Is Your New Neighbor? Cartoon: 22 Workshop: 26 12 An Owl in Your Pocket Puzzle Solutions: 30 14 Home for the Homeless 18 A Labor of Love 19 Max & Gracie 20 The Fish Hawk 28 The Environmental

Vacuum Cleaner

Bald Eagle

29 Big and Bold - The

by Shirley Anne Ramaley There’s a call in the air. “Whooo, hoo-hoo, hoo, hoo.” It almost sounds like, “Who’s awake, me too.” There is only one bird that sounds like this – the great horned owl. It can be heard about anywhere, because these owls live in mountain forests, desert canyons, city parks, and even on some rooftops of homes. They are very widespread and adapt easily to many environments. They live all over North America, Central America, and certain regions of South America.

Great horned owls hunt just about anything that’s not too big for them. They like insects and scorpions, great blue herons, snakes, jackrabbits, mice, other birds, and lots more. They also like cats, so keep your cat inside. Another delicious meal for a great horned owl is a skunk! The world is just one big smorgasbord for this big owl. Its wing span can reach five feet – that’s the size of many shorter adults! There are no predators that hunt this owl. It is the great horned owl that is the top predator.

it is a very interesting feature. Some people say the owl lowers the ear tufts like a dog when it’s upset. If you see one, take a good look at the ear tufts. Maybe it will let you know what it thinks of you. Their ears are offset, and not even like those of people and most other animals. This means their ears are slightly tilted in different directions. They are able to determine something’s location and establish the distance between two points. The owl tilts its head until the sound is equal in both ears. This pinpoints the direction and distance of the sound of the possible prey.

When it hunts, it likes to sit and wait. It can hear the smallest sound, like the squeak of a tiny A common belief is that an owl can turn its head mouse from far away. Its excellent vision in low completely around. Actually, while it can rotate its light makes it the perfect night hunter. head 270 degrees, it can’t turn completely around. Like all raptors, or birds of prey, great horned (If it could, that would be 360 degrees.) Unlike our owls use their feet instead of their beaks to capture eyes, owls’ eyes are fixed in their sockets. They prey. They have powerful feet with curved, sharp can’t move their eyes up and down. Instead, they talons. The hooked beak is for cutting and tearing move their entire head. meat. Not much gets away from this big bird!

The eyes are really big. If a great horned owl They are the only owls with ear tufts. was as tall as a human, the eyes would be as big as Scientists disagree on why they have them, but oranges!

The owl has something else that helps it hunt. Its flight is silent. The feathers are soft, like fleece. This deadens the sound as air rushes over the wings while the owl is in flight. At night, as the owl flies silently toward its prey, the prey animal has no idea it’s in danger. The owls nest in January and raise their families in winter. The female sits on the eggs, and the male brings her food. The eggs take about a month to hatch. For a while, the babies, or “owlets,” huddle under the mother’s wings. Gradually, the little heads will peek out and eventually move out from under their mother’s wings. Both parents closely guard the owlets. The owlets start walking around the nest in about another month, often crowding each other. The parents usually sit nearby, perhaps in a tree branch, and guard the nest. Don’t ever go near a

great horned nest. Those parents won’t like it, and they aren’t afraid to attack anything that threatens the family. The parents bring food to the nest to feed the owlets. Soon the owlets begin to flap their wings, getting ready for the day when they fledge, or fly away from the nest. The closer they get to fledging, the more they practice flapping their wings. When they are about six weeks old, it’s time to go. They don’t all leave at the same time, but usually within a few days of each other. There are some threats. The use of insecticides can harm owls because they might feed on insects that were sprayed. But great horned owls, strong and powerful, are generally doing very well. Just remember – watch those ear tufts!

Pizza Ollie Owl by Bette Killion • illustrated by Chris Sabatino

Mom and Pop Owl found a hole in a tree Just right for their nest and a new family. It was back from the highway in a quiet green glade. So a fine nest was built and three eggs were laid. Then before their babies could even hatch out, Some builders moved in and surveyed about. They began a building, worked a very fast pace. Soon beneath the owls’ tree stood a PIZZA PLACE! “OH, MY!” cried Mom Owl. “What shall we do, dear?” “Nothing!” said Pop Owl. “Our family is here!” And they were! Three balls of fuzzy, buff down. “We can’t rear them here,” Mom said. “We’re almost uptown!” Said Pop, “We must just do the best that we can.” So they named them Winston and Ollie and Jan. All went pretty well, but it was different, all right! Cars zoomed in and out. Music blared half the night. The days were more quiet. The owls could sleep then, But the great smell of pizzas came up on the wind. Ollie, especially, loved that good scent. He saw dropped bits below where the people went. He begged Pop Owl, when he went out for food, “Just bring me some pizza. It must be SO good!” So Pop brought up a piece – pepperoni and cheese. Ollie gobbled it up and said, “More pizza, please!” From that day on, while Winston and Jan Ate field mice and insects as little owls can,

Ollie ate pizza scraps – sausage, onions, and sauce. When Pop couldn’t find bits, poor Ollie was cross. Pizza or nothing. He’d not eat – just pout! Jan and Winston were growing and filling out. Their brown and buff feathers were starting to sprout. Time came for the owlets to learn to fly. Jan and Winston soon followed Pop off in the sky. But Ollie flew down where he saw the crowd, Where the cars whizzed and screeched and the music was loud. He captured the scraps, each bit and each bite, To fill himself full with the pizza at night. “Oh, just look,” sighed Mom Owl. “You’re a terrible sight! Your feathers are growing all crooked and few. You’re so thin! You need owl food. All good owls do.” Ollie just laughed and then slept the day through. That night when he woke and looked all about, He saw Mom and Pop Owl and the owlets were out, Probably flying through trees, searching for food, But he, Ollie Owl, would go find something good!

He perched on his nest edge, looked down, and OH, MY! A thousand round pizzas caught his eye. All the car wheels were round pizzas, every window and door. The trees hung with pizzas, everywhere more and more. Ollie blinked, rolled his eyes, but the pizzas stayed. Just too many! thought Ollie, and he was afraid. He crept back into his nest and covered his head. When his family came home, he excitedly said, “Did you see all those pizzas? What happened, Pop? I think they are growing. Can you make them stop?” “What pizzas?” asked Pop Owl. “What pizzas?” asked Jan. And Winston – “What pizzas?” Then Mom Owl began, “I knew it! Why did we build here – why? It was bound to end badly!” She started to cry. Pop Owl was thinking. Pop Owl was wise. He leaned down and squinted in Ollie Owl’s eyes. “Like a virus,” said Pop, “I can easily tell You have developed a Pizza Eyes Spell. The cure is quite simple. This soon will be gone If you eat mice and insects – owl food from now on.” Ollie Owl nodded, and Pop was in flight To find him some owl food that very night! Ollie Owl gulped it down fast – every bite! Next evening when Ollie woke for the night, He heard music, smelled pizza, and saw the bright lights, But he did not SEE pizzas, and that was good! He flew off with the others to search for OWL FOOD! Mom Owl said, as she brushed off a tear, “Let’s build our nest somewhere quiet next year.” Pop Owl said, “Surely, we’ll do that, my dear!”

Owls That Live in the Ground by David Brownâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;&#x201A; photographs by David Magney

Everybody knows that owls fly around at night and build nests in trees, right? Have you ever heard of an owl that hunts during the day and lives in a hole in the ground? The burrowing owl is such an owl. They are called burrowing owls because they live in burrows in the ground. They do not do the burrowing themselves, however. They live in holes dug by animals like ground squirrels, badgers, prairie dogs, or desert tortoises. Burrowing owls live in much of western North America, from the prairies of Canada down through Mexico. There are also populations of burrowing owls in Florida and South America. The burrows that the owls live in have several functions. Burrowing owls live in areas that are hot and dry. During the heat of the day, they stay in their burrows. The temperatures are cooler there than out in the open air. Burrowing owls lay their eggs and raise their young in their burrows. The nesting season for burrowing owls in North America is from April to July. In some areas, eggs will be laid before and after these dates. The female burrowing owl lays between three and twelve eggs. She sits on the eggs for about a month, while the male owl hunts and brings her food in their burrow. The baby owls stay with their parents for about six weeks. Then they leave the burrow to live on their own. This process is called fledging. Before they fledge, young burrowing owls learn to fly and hunt insects and rodents. They also learn how to avoid predators that might want to eat them, like hawks and other large owl species.

Burrowing owls like to live in open areas. These are the same places where people like to build houses, shopping malls, golf courses, and farms. Unfortunately, burrowing owl populations are declining in many parts of their range. Sometimes people build artificial burrows for the burrowing owls to live in. Hopefully, ways can be found to provide enough space for both people and burrowing owls.

Banding the Burrowing Owl by Shirley Anne Ramaley

A small owl sits on the branch of a tree. Its golden eyes watch over its burrow in the ground. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a burrowing owl, one of the smallest owls, and only about the size of a robin. Most birds nest in trees. The burrowing owl is very unusual because it nests in the ground. Unlike most owls, these little owls are often seen during the day. They sit on tree branches, or stand by their burrow entrance, ready to duck inside if they spot danger. They are always on the lookout for predators, such as hawks. However, the owls often let people walk quite close. Some of these owls migrate. An important research tool for birds, especially those that migrate, is banding. Researchers very carefully trap the owls, and then apply bands on their legs. These bands donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hurt the birds. By observing the bands on the birds, people can read the numbers and know which owl it is. After all, these little guys all seem to look alike! Because the owls will often sit quietly for long periods, scientists, bird watchers, and anyone interested are able to read the numbers on the bands. These numbers are compared to a database, where each banded owl is listed. Some researchers attach tracking devices to the bands. The researchers can then follow migrating owls with transmitters on the ground. We can all help the burrowing owl. If you see a banded owl, try to record its band number. The numbers are large and can easily be seen if you are close to the owl, or have binoculars. Write down the number. There may be researchers who are interested in your finding. Your state wildlife agency can help you with this. The more we learn about these owls, the better we will all be able to help them survive.

Whooo

Is Your New Neighbor? by Kelly Quiroz • illustrated by Pamela Harden What would you do if you heard a great horned owl call, “Hoo, hoo-hoo?” If you were a rabbit or a mouse, you’d probably hide! But if you are a human boy or girl, as I’m guessing you are, you’re in no danger of this owl’s razor-sharp talons. Instead of hiding, you just might just run outside to catch a glimpse of the mighty nighttime hunter. That’s how our family met our new neighbor when we moved to Santa Cruz, California. As dusk fell that first night in our new house, we heard a deep and haunting cry outside our door: “Hoo, hoo-hoo.” “An owl!” we said excitedly. We hurried out into the yard to see if we could spot her before it got too dark.

Sure enough, there she was, high up in a eucalyptus tree. Quietly, in whispers, we watched her through the trees. We noticed how she turned her head constantly, scanning the forest with her powerful yellow eyes. She listened for the sounds of dinner down below. Every once in a while, she would begin to hoot. We laughed, because with every “Hoo,” she leaned her head forward and stuck her tail feathers out, as if she were doing the hokey-pokey.

We felt very happy to have such a wonderful new neighbor. So, every night at sunset during November and December, we went out onto the hillside with our binoculars to watch her. She had a special call that we learned to recognize as hers. It went something like, “Hoo. Hoo-hoooo, hoo.” When we imitated her hooting, she would sometimes answer back. Then, in January, we started hearing another call in the trees at dusk. “Hoo-hoo, hoooo.” It was another great horned owl, and this one was a male. He was smaller than our female, and his voice was higher pitched. They started calling to each other in the evening and early morning. Once we even spotted them together, flapping their wings and calling out in unison.

Then, much too soon for us, she dropped from the branch and swooped gracefully away on silent wings. We weren’t too disappointed, though. We knew that she was only going out for dinner – out hunting, that is – and that she would be back before long. The great horned owl hunts only at night. She is a very talented hunter because her whole body is designed as a hunting machine. Her round face works like a satellite dish to focus sound to her sensitive ears. From her perch high in the trees, she can hear a tiny mouse rustling in the leaves on the forest floor. Her huge yellow eyes are built like telescopes to let in lots of light. She can really see well in the dark. She can spot a mouse or a rabbit on the ground from half a mile away – in the middle of the night!

By Valentine’s Day, they had settled down together in a hollow tree nearby. And by June, when their eggs hatched, we heard the blood-curdling screeches of three or four little owlets coming from the nest! We felt very lucky to have had great horned owls for neighbors. And odds are that you have some too. The great horned owls live in forests, deserts, cities, and mountains all over North and South America. So whether you live in Canada or Chile, California or Connecticut, you’re likely to have a great horned owl living next door. So listen tonight, just as twilight falls, and see “whooo” you can hear in the trees outside your door. You just might have a neighbor you’d like to get to know!

Once the great horned owl locates her prey, special feathers in her wings let her swoop down out of the sky without a sound. Those silent wings means that the unlucky mouse or rabbit can’t see or hear her coming until it is too late. The great horned owl is not a picky eater. She eats just about anything small enough to fit in her talons: rabbits, mice, chipmunks, woodchucks, and even scorpions and rattlesnakes. Of course, she doesn’t smell very good after dinner. But if you’re the fiercest hunter in the forest, you’re not worried about impressing anyone with your breath!

An Owl in Your Pocket by Debra Kempf Shumaker

Have you ever seen an owl so small it could fit in your pocket? Most people haven’t seen this little owl. It only lives in a small part of the jungles of northern Peru. This owl was first seen in 1976. Scientists were exploring the wet, thick forests of the Andes Mountains. One night they found a small brown and white owl. It was so tiny and different from most owls in several ways. First, the owl is only about 5 to 5-1/2 inches high. That’s about the size of an adult hand. Most owls are much bigger, at least 13 to 25 inches tall. The owl weighs about 1-1/2 to 2 ounces. That’s less than a banana weighs! Other features make this owl unique. Most owls do not have long “whiskers” around their eyes. The owl is also barefoot – its legs and toes have no feathers.

The scientists who discovered this owl named it Xenoglaux loweryi. Xenoglaux means “strange owl.” It’s known as the long-whiskered owlet.

Since 1976 the owlet has been spotted a few times. Still, not much is known about it. Scientists do not know how long it lives, where it builds nests, or how it hunts for food. They want to find and study more of the owlets so they can answer these questions. Sadly, probably fewer than 1000 exist. The jungle they live in is getting smaller every day. “The trees are important for construction material and firewood, so parts of the forests are being cut down,” says David Geale, a researcher in Peru. If this area is destroyed, the owl will probably become extinct. Fortunately, scientists from Peru and the US are working together to protect the forests and jungles. Because of this, Geale and other researchers saw the owlet in 2007. They heard it sing and even took a few pictures of it before it hopped away. By protecting the jungle, it may be possible to save the owlets that live here. After all, this little owl, small enough to fit in your pocket, deserves to have a home too.

See Like an Owl Owls are different from most birds. Most birds eat seeds. Owls eat mice and other small animals. Most birds are active in the daytime. Owls are active at night. Most birds have straight beaks. Owls have hooked beaks. Most birds tip sideways. Owls stand straight up. Most birds have their eyes on the SIDES of their heads. (If you were like most birds, your eyes would be where your ears are!) Owls’ eyes face forward like your eyes. BUT an owl’s eyes cannot do something your eyes can. And that is our experiment.

What You Need: • an empty spool from a roll of toilet paper or paper towel • scissors • sticky tape

What You Do: • Cut two pieces off the spool. Make each one about 3 inches long. • Hold them side-by-side and tape them together. • Hold them up to your eyes so each eye is looking through ONE of the tubes, like a pair of binoculars.

The Science Secret

• Look around.

You can roll your eyes from side-to-side. Look in a mirror and try it. Owls cannot roll their eyes like you. Owls’ eyes can look only straight ahead.

This is the way an owl sees what is around him or her. An owl can see only exactly what is in front of its eyes. Even though your eyes are in front of your face, like an owl’s, YOU can see a lot more. WHY?

How can an owl see what is beside it? It must turn its head! But if you tried the experiment, you already learned this. When you hold the “owl binoculars” up to your eyes, the ONLY way you can see what is beside you is to turn your head. That is exactly what owls must do to see what is beside them! Aren’t you glad you are not an owl?

Home for the Homeless by Cynthia Breedlove

It was a dark and stormy night. Something happened in all the hard rain and strong wind. The barred owls’ snag fell over. The snag was a dead tree stump that stood several feet high. This particular snag was the nesting site for a pair of barred owls. Barred owls live throughout the eastern part of the US, in wooded areas, usually with water nearby. We knew we had barred owls in our woods. We had heard them calling. They had a distinctive hooting rhythm. It sounded like they were saying, “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?” My brother, Steve, found the barred owls’ nest site. The snag was in the woods behind his house. The morning after the storm, he checked the site. The snag had fallen and was in pieces. One soggy owlet, still in downy white feathers, sat amid the wet ruins of his nest. Another nestling had not survived the fall. Where were the parents? Had they deserted the chick? He was easy prey for some hungry animal if left on the ground. Steve decided we should give him a new nest. An old apple crate was wired up in a sturdy, young tree. The tree was close to where the snag had stood. We filled it with straw. While this was being done, an adult owl flew in and perched nearby, watching us. Good! They hadn’t deserted the chick! Would they accept the nest? Wearing a pair of brand new gloves, Steve carefully picked up the owlet. He wore the gloves to keep human smell off the chick and also for protection. The youngster had sat quietly until now, but began snapping its beak when picked up. And even at this young age, the talons were sharp! When Steve picked up the chick, the adult flew off. Steve put the chick in its nest crate, and we left. We could only wait and see if our efforts paid off for the owlet. The next afternoon I carefully approached the tree with the apple crate anchored onto it. I raised my binoculars and held my breath. Peering out through the cracks of the crate, was not only the downy white chick, but an adult bird. Success!

These wise snowy owls say you-HOO will love making this craft and eating these cupcakes too-HOO.

Paper Owls by Anne Renaud

To make your paper owl, you will need:

2 1 Fold in the top of a bathroom cardboard tube.

• bathroom cardboard tube • paper cupcake liners

Cut out center from 4 cupcake liners. Slide each liner onto the cardboard tube, and tape into place to make up body of your owl.

• craft paper • small piece of orange felt • tape • markers or felt pen • googly eyes (optional) • scissors

3 Cut small slits on the front half of your cupcake liners, and fold upwards to give appearance of feathers. Cut one cupcake liner in half, and tape at back of your tube to make owl’s wings. Cut small slits in wings to give appearance of feathers.

Snowy Owl Cupcakes You Will Need: 6 muffins or cupcakes 1 can ready-made or homemade

white cake frosting

12 jellybeans 12 round colored candies or jujubes shredded coconut

4 Cut two large circles from craft paper for eyes. Color in eyes with felt pen, or use googly eyes, if you like. Tape into place. Cut out triangle from orange felt for mouth. Tape into place.

1. With a butter knife, cover the top of your muffin or cupcake with a thin coat of frosting. 2. Cover icing with shredded coconut. 3. Make owl mouth with a jellybean, placed vertically. 4. Make owl eyes with two round candies or jujubes. Cut jellybean in half and place in center of each eye. Use frosting for “glue.” 5. Repeat steps 1-4 for remaining 5 cupcakes. 6. Put cupcakes in refrigerator, and let set for about 20 minutes. 7. Store in air-tight container.

A Job for an Owl It’s said that owls are very wise. Is it because of big round eyes? Or is there something more owls do, Like seeing what’s behind them too? Their heads can swivel far around To take in sights from air to ground. My teacher also has the knack Of seeing things behind her back, A trait a substitute would need To teach our class and to succeed. So if my teacher’s ever sick, An owl would be the perfect pick. by Elizabeth Glann

by Patrick Hardin

Draw a Picture

Night Flier

by Michelle Benjamin

Owls are nocturnal. Most of them sleep in the daylight and fly by the moonlight. To get the answer to the riddle below, first match the moon picture from the clue grid. Then move down the grid to the clue number. Write the correct letter in the box. The first one has been done for you.

by Donna Lugg Pape Fill in the correct lines in the corresponding pie wedge, and discover an animal. Answers on page 30

Question: What happened when the night owl got a sore throat?

3 2 3

1 !

1 2 3

Answers on page 30

1 1

Barn Owl Sudoku by Evelyn B. Christensen

As their name implies, barn owls often live in barns and other buildings, but they also nest in trees and caves. They are able to find their prey by hearing alone. That means if it is totally dark, they can still locate that mouse or vole they want to eat. W O

N B W

A L

Solve the

Fill in the squares so each row, column, and 7-square section has the letters B-A-R-N-O-W-L .

Owl Riddles by Guy Belleranti

W B

R O

First, read the riddle. Then solve it by decoding the answer. To decode the answer, write the letter that comes before the letter given.

Answers on page 30

1. Why are owls quiet at night? Coded Answer: TP UIFZ EPO’U XBLF VQ UIFJS TMFFQJOH CBHT 2. What do you call an owl that isn’t quiet? Coded Answer: UIF I-PXM Answers on page 30

A-Maze-ing Owls

“It’s not what you know, but rather, whooo you know.”

by Guy Belleranti Find your way through the maze by connecting letters to spell: OWLS ARE NOCTURNAL BIRDS OF PREY. THEY HAVE GREAT NIGHT VISION AND HEARING. You may move any direction, but no letter may be connected more than once. Write the unconnected letters, in order, in the blank spaces to spell out another amazing owl fact.

Start

G Finish

Another amazing owl fact: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____ ______ ______ ___ ______ by David Sung

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. Answers on page 30

A Labor of Love by Martha Deeringer

Nada Wareham rescues wild animals. She is a wildlife rehabilitator. Some of the animals she rescues are orphans who have lost their mothers. Others have been injured by cars or from being in traps. Nada has always loved animals. To be a wildlife rehabilitator, she had to have special training and get a license from the government. Wildlife rehabilitators are volunteers. They pay the expenses for the animals’ food and medicine themselves. In the 26 years that she has been rescuing wild animals, Nada has worked with rabbits, raccoons, opossums, deer, caracas (a large meat-eating bird), owls, hawks, squirrels, bobcats, and a beaver. When each new animal arrives, Nada hopes that it will be possible to return it to the wild some day. “Wild animals do NOT make good pets,” she says. “Their instincts make it difficult for them to adjust to life with humans.” Sometimes the animals are so badly injured that they can’t survive in the wild. When that happens, Nada gets a permit that allows her to keep them as “educational animals.” She uses them to teach children about wildlife. One of these animals, a Swainson’s hawk, has been with Nada for over 15 years. The hawk has only one wing and will never be able to hunt for himself.

Most of Nada’s animals come from individuals who call her to ask for help. The day I met Nada, she was releasing a tiny screech owl that had been knocked for a loop by a hailstorm. The owl had not been badly injured and recovered quickly in a large flight cage that Nada keeps for birds of prey. The little owl spread her wings and flew confidently into a nearby oak tree. “There, now she’s back where she belongs,” Nada sighed happily.

Kansas City, Kansas 2:10 AM

Can’t tell – it’s dark and I was sleeping

Max and Gracie and their owners, Linda, Craig, and their seven-year-old son, Ed, are driving the back roads of America. Perhaps you have seen Max and Gracie with their heads out the window. If not, here is a letter describing their most recent adventure.

it and I wake in the morning, I can read I’m writing this down now so when know it wasn’t a dream. , but big and wide, and her body shivering e wer s eye Her up. me ke wo cie Gra owl was me over to the windowsill, where an not in a cold or scared way. She led d and er this close up. It swiveled its hea nev t jus , ore bef ls ow n see I’d d. perche us up. I ned eye a laser-beam chance to size closed one eye, as if to give its ope 360 degrees around. Creepy! swear its head looked like it turned ped it said “Hoot,” Gracie and I both jum Its big yellow eye stared at us. When could, window with its beak. Even if we back. Then it started tapping on the back to let it in. It spooked us! We tried to go there was no way we were going to at us. bed and ignore it, but it kept staring

ner, in my bed. We both cowered in the cor Soon Gracie came over and curled up the owl. h wanted the far corner, away from which is hard to do because we bot and then took off. I’m The owl gave a final tap on the window w Gracie how scared I the big brother and didn’t want to sho t owl was spooky! was, but I couldn’t fake it tonight. Tha

Max

The Fish Hawk by Shirley Anne Ramaley

Soaring over the water, an osprey scans the surface. It flies with steady wing beats or circles high above the water. In a swift dive – feet first, wings folded, talons outspread – the bird plunges down into the water.

The osprey is completely submerged for a minute, then bursts out of the water with a fish. No other raptor (bird of prey) dives this way. Known as the “fish hawk,” ospreys are spectacular divers. They are also called a “sea hawk” and “fish eagle.” While in flight, the osprey turns the fish headfirst. This helps the osprey hold on to the fish as it flies. It has barbed pads on the soles of its feet so it can grip the fish tightly. Not many fish escape an osprey’s grasp! The osprey will often fly to a tree branch and eat the head of the fish. This prevents the fish from flopping around in an osprey nest and possibly harming young birds that are in it. After eating the fish head, the osprey returns to the nest with the rest of the fish. Ospreys live near lakes, rivers, estuaries, ponds, reservoirs, and even coral reefs. They adapt very well to being in areas where people are present. The pesticide DDT took its effect on the osprey and other birds. Now that it’s no longer used, the osprey population has rebounded and is doing well.

Ospreys are found nearly all over the world. Only one other bird, the peregrine falcon, has a wider distribution. Ospreys breed from Alaska to Florida and in Europe, although not in Iceland. One area it is never found in is Antarctica. Wherever you might travel, in most parts of the world, you can see ospreys. It’s a big bird. The wing span can reach almost six feet, which is as tall as many grown men! It eats fish over 99% of the time and is well adapted to this diet. While it usually dives for fish, it has also been seen flying along the surface of shallow water and scooping up fish. Typical of many raptors, the female is usually larger than the male. Brown and black in color, the osprey has a white underside with dark patches on the wings. It is very easy for people to recognize when they see this bird flying overhead. Ospreys mate for life and loudly guard their nests. Short, shrill whistles ward off intruders. Photographers are loudly told by the female osprey to stay at a distance. Often both partners will stand guard at the nest, but, usually, the male is off fishing. He brings the fish back to his mate and the young. Fortunately, ospreys are very willing to build their nests on manmade structures. They like telephone poles, channel markers, and tall platforms built just for them by people. Ospreys aren’t particular where they nest, just so it’s near water, but not too close to people or any other possible dangers. They like to be up high. The nests are huge! They may be seven feet across and five feet deep.

While there may be three eggs in a nest, they don’t all hatch at once. If fishing is good, all three of the young may survive. If food is scarce, only one may survive, and it is usually the first one hatched. The mother stays with the young, and the father brings fish for the first days after hatching. Eventually, both parents spend time fishing and bringing food back to their young. If you see a big bird rapidly diving into the water, feet and head first, with talons widely spread, you can bet it’s an osprey. Big, strong, and unique – there is no other bird like the osprey.

Here are some fun facts about the osprey: 1. When the osprey flies, its wings are arched, and it looks like it has drooping “hands.” 2. When it calls, the sound is like “cheep, cheep.” But if it gets upset, it screams loudly. 3. Their nests are built of sticks. Nests have also been found in dead trees over open water. 4. It has a sharply hooked black bill and yellow eyes. 5. When it dives, its eyes look straight down at its talons, focusing on the fish in the water below.

Make an LED Keychain Flashlight Making It

Owls are nocturnal. That means they sleep during the day. At night they are awake and hunt for food. If we want to hunt for something outside after dark, Cut the plastic pipe and the wood dowel to the or in the house with the lights out, we need the help lengths suggested. There are three main parts to of a flashlight. This project shows you how to make this project: the housing, the LED assembly, and the a very special kind of keychain flashlight. switch assembly. Its tiny size isn’t the only thing unusual about this flashlight. Unlike most, it doesn’t have a light Housing bulb! The only things that will ever need replacing The housing is a 5" length of a ½" diameter PVC are the batteries. Most flashlight bulbs last just a plastic water pipe. If you plan on attaching the flashfew hours. The LED (Light-Emitting Diode) used light to a keychain, you will need to drill two tiny here should last for 100 years or more! The LED holes 1" from an end. String a small piece of picture has another advantage. It produces a reddish light, hanger wire through these holes. See Drawing 5. which doesn’t affect night vision. Most astronomers use red lights at night whenever possible instead of LED Assembly white lights. This way, their eyes will be adjusted for Refer to Drawings 1, 2, and 3. Using a 3/32" drill working in dim light. If you want to see animals and bit, drill two holes in a 7/16" length of 1/2" wood stars at night, this unique LED flashlight is perfect! dowel. Use a hacksaw to lengthwise cut a shallow By the way, this project makes a fantastic gift groove in the wood dowel. Follow Drawing 1. for your mom, dad, grandpa, grandma, or anyone Drawing 2 shows how to install and connect the special. They will love it, guaranteed! LED. After removing 1/2" of insulation, tightly twist the bare end of a wire around the short lead of the LED. Keep in mind the shorter lead of the LED is connected to the negative terminal (flat side) of the battery. See Drawing 3.

What You Need:

1 – 5" long piece of ½" PVC plastic water pipe 2 – 7/16" long pieces of ½" wood dowel 1 – 22 ohm resistor (available from Radio Shack, catalog #271-1103) 1 – super bright orange or red LED (available from Radio Shack, catalog #55050629) 2 – AAA batteries 1 – 1" long #6 wood screw 1 – 3/8" long #6 wood screw #8 or #10 washer (small washer) 8" length of #22 or smaller, stranded hookup wire (available from Radio Shack, catalog #55057523) small piece of sponge or spongy, plastic packing material electrical tape picture-hanger wire (optional) Radio Shack's web site: www.radioshack.com

Pull the loose end of the wire through the pipe. Now firmly stick the LED assembly into the end of the pipe. It should fit snugly.

Switch Assembly First, use a 3/32" drill bit to make a hole in the exact center of the other piece of wood dowel. This hole is for the 1" long wood screw. For more details, follow Drawing 4. Second, sand this piece of wood dowel to fit smoothly into the end of the flashlight’s housing.

Final Assembly & Installing Batteries Insert two AAA batteries into flashlight as shown in Drawing 5. Make sure the “+” end of each battery goes in first. Stick a small piece (about 1/2" thick) of sponge onto the tip of the switch assembly’s wood screw. Carefully push the switch assembly into the flashlight, making sure the resistor, spongy material, and excess wire are all inside the tube and not sticking out.

Drawing 1 Step 1 in making LED Assembly

Drawing 2

Step 2 in making LED Assembly

1/2" diameter wood dowel 3/32" holes one in the center one near the outside

typical LED

Stick the long lead through the outside hole -- not the center hole.

top Use hacksaw to cut this groove in the side of the dowel. Cut off short lead to 1/2".

7/16"

side

Drawing 3

The longer lead should be connected to the + end of the battery.

Step 3 in making LED Assembly

Drawing 4

Carefully twist one of the bare ends of the wire onto the short lead, and squeeze into the groove in the side of the dowel.

side

Bend the longer lead into a semi-circle, flattened on the bottom of the dowel.

Making Switch Assembly

PVC pipe

Housing

Insert wire from the LED assembly through the pipe.

side 3/8" diameter, 7/16" long wood dowel, sanded to fit easily into PVC pipe

Screw 3/8" long, #6 wood screw through washer into center hole of the dowel.

Drawing 5

LED assembly

Twist one lead from the 22 ohm resistor around the bare end of the wire and the other lead around the wood screw. Use electrical tape to hold these connections in place.

Place small washer over bent lead.

The short lead should fit into the groove in the side of the dowel.

Drill a 3/32" hole in the exact center of the wood dowel before installing 1" long #6 wood screw.

5" long, 1/2" diameter PVC water pipe Drill 2 small holes, about an inch from the end of the PVC pipe. String picture hanging wire through the holes for attaching keychain.

Using It: washer

bottom long lead, bent into semi-circle

The LED is lit when the switch assembly is pushed in with your finger. The tip of the screw in the assembly then contacts the end of the second battery, making an electrical connection. When you stop pressing, the light goes out because the piece of sponge pushes the switch assembly back. You may want to adjust this â&#x20AC;&#x153;on-off switchâ&#x20AC;? by replacing the small piece of sponge with one a little larger or a little smaller.

Place a small piece of sponge at the end of the screw before installing it into the PVC pipe. Use trial and error to find out how big the piece of sponge should be.

The Environmental Vacuum Cleaner by Michael Williams

At one time or another, we’ve all seen buzzards. In some parts of the country, they’re called vultures. They are large, ugly birds with bald heads. Their wingspans are six to ten feet. Their feathers are usually oily. These birds are like environmental vacuum cleaners. They remove the remains of dead animals from the woods and roadsides. Because they eat dead animals, they are called scavengers. Smelling like rotting flesh is normal for them. By eating dead animals, they do two things: First, they keep the forests and roads clean of dead animals. Second, they keep rabies under control. Rabies is a virus that attacks the brain. It causes animals to go “mad.” If a wild animal, such as a raccoon, were to walk out of the woods and try to get you to play with him, chances are he may have rabies. After all, friendly behavior from a wild animal is strange

behavior. If the rabid animal were to bite you, you, too, could get rabies. You can also get it just by touching a rabid animal. He doesn’t have to bite you. Rabies always kills the animals it infects. Most humans survive rabies, but have to take painful rabies shots. Buzzards are the only creatures on Earth that cannot get rabies. That’s right! When buzzards eat animals that have died of rabies, they are eliminating the threat of other animals getting rabies. If another animal, like a dog, were to eat a dead, rabid animal, he would get rabies and die. With buzzards around, that’s not likely to happen. Controlling the threat of a rabies epidemic is a valuable service to mankind. Because of this, buzzards are protected in most states. You could go to jail for killing a buzzard. When you’re driving down the highway, and you see these ugly scavengers cleaning up a dead animal, don’t bother them. Sure, they’re ugly and maybe even disgusting. But they’re making the world a little safer by eliminating the threat of rabies. They are perfect examples of the balance of nature.

Big and Bold - The Bald Eagle by Shirley Anne Ramaley Soaring high overhead, or flying low over treetops, this large bird is easy to recognize. With a white head and tail, and larger than most other birds, it can only be the bald eagle. It dwarfs most other raptors, or birds of prey, in size. The bright yellow legs and bills also are a distinctive feature of this eagle. They arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really bald, but their white heads gleam in contrast to their brown bodies and wings.

The best place to find the bald eagle is in Alaska. They are also found in many areas of Canada and the United States, including Arizona and Florida.

They usually are alone, but sometimes gather in groups where the fishing is good. Bald eagles will steal prey from smaller birds. One day I watched a bald eagle follow a small falcon that had caught a smaller bird. The eagle just kept flying after the falcon, and, eventually, the falcon dropped its prey. The eagle then dropped to the ground and ate the prey. Almost all other birds will give way to the larger and more aggressive bald eagle.

Most of their diet consists of fish, but they also feed on waterfowl and mammals they have captured or scavenged. They are a very agile hunter and will hunt from the air or a perch or tree limb. Unique to North America, bald eagles can be found near lakes, rivers, and coasts. Endangered at one time due to the use of pesticides, they have bounded back and are now protected. People are not allowed to hunt and shoot these birds.

The bald eagle has been the national bird of the United States since 1792. It is the most pictured bird in all of America and appears in many places, like military insignia and one-dollar bills. They have been seen as symbols of strength, freedom, and courage for many generations. It is fun to watch this beautiful eagle soaring through the air, searching the ground below, looking for prey. I hope you get to see one soon!

Puzzle Solutions Picture Puzzle on page 2

Night Flier on page 16

Answer: It didn’t give a hoot! Barn Owl Sudoku on page 17

A W N

B W A

O W

R W

W B

W O

A-Maze-ing Owls on page 17 Start

O W T R

E N H E P A T N

A L R A T S O O R

E F

P R S E Y O W C G L S G C A N N O U T T V

E D H

I G L E N R S H A T V

B A A R E E

R M E D I

Y F O R

T H N T O

by E.C. Ball

D O A P Y E L N A N L E S O T A E N D D S A R P

P R T U H E P N G Finish

Another amazing owl fact: THE PARTS OF PREY OWLS CANNOT DIGEST ARE FORMED INTO A PELLET AND SPIT UP.

Solve the Owl Riddles on page 17 1. SO THEY DON’T WAKE UP THEIR SLEEPING BAGS 2. THE H-OWL

Draw a Picture on page 16

Photo Credits: Shirley Anne Ramaley 4, 5, 9, 20, 21, 29; Courtesy of ECOAN 12; Cynthia Breedlove 14; Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK (Male Barn Owl 1 Uploaded by Magnus Manske) [CC-BY-2.0] via Wikimedia Commons 17 top-left; Cameron Rognan/Cornell Lab of Ornithology 18 Swainson's hawk, left; Martha Deeringer 18 screech owl photos, right.

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