Owls are a group of birds unrelated to the diurnal raptors. They have very soft plumage and are totally silent in flight. Their hearing is very keen and their night vision is up to 1000 times better than Man’s although their daytime vision does not seem as keen as that of diurnal raptors, all of whom can spot prey at a great distance. Owls hunt by stealth, rather than through speed, although they are deceptively fast in pursuit of quarry, certainly, faster than the buzzards, and can accelerate and climb very rapidly. Their talons are zygodactyl, that is, two at the front and two at the back, and their grip is more powerful than an equivalent sized diurnal bird.

Owls are by no means restricted to ground quarry, many will tackle birds in flight to a greater or lesser extent. Nor are owls wholly nocturnal, most, except for the Tawny, will be prepared to fly at any time of the day, although all will work in much lower light levels than diurnal raptors. Indeed, with a tracking light, they can he flown in pitch darkness. This makes it possible for working people to keep them fit by flying midweek, something not possible with other birds.

Parent reared owls are easier than hand reared birds to enter (fly at for the first time) to small quarry, but larger game will frighten them at first. Their feet are very powerful, so once you get them onto the bigger prey, they have no difficulty holding.

Owls are usually very affectionate and intelligent (as well as being cute and cuddly) and have a very steady temperament. They seem to like a lot of attention, and cannot be kept "at a distance" as a diurnal bird can. They are also very jealous creatures. Generally they are ideal for beginners.

Lesser Owls

Most of these are not much used in Falconry as they are generally not much use for hunting. However the Barn Owl is used very widely as a beginner's bird, because it is easily & cheaply obtained and has an excellent temperament. Some of the mor exotic species may be useful, but are difficult to obtain.

Eagle Owls

All of these are large powerful birds. Many are suitable for beginners and represent excellent value for money. They are suitable for rabbits, and surprisingly, will regularly take “urchins” (the medieval and heraldic term for hedgehog). Birds over 2 lb. will usually manage hares, and the larger specimens will even take foxes, particularly if a cast (two birds; in this case a male/female pair) is flown by two Falconers. We had a male Bengal (Sebastian), flying at only 25 oz. which took and held one King Charles Spaniel and one German Shepherd, & a Turkmanian (also called Sebastian) which took a 30 lb. dog-fox. Two quarries at which most eagle owls excel, are squirrel and pheasant. Squirrels are usually dispatched very quickly by the powerful feet & talons, and in any case the fluffy feathers of the owl usually prevent any bite. The length and curvature of the talons are excellent for holding pheasant, which often slip free of hawks because of their loose feathering.

All in all, I would rate the better eagle owls as equal in hunting prowess to Redtails, although they are more difficult to enter, particularly to rabbits.

Eagle owls need flying at least four times a week if they are to be kept fit and successful at quarry. Some are surprisingly agile even in dense woodland. They can also be flown in fairly close proximity to houses etc. as they do not make long flights. Care must be taken that they do not kill small pet dogs, although they will not normally bother unless attacked. If tethered on the lawn they will kill & eat any strange cats which come within their ambit, leaving just a characteristic skin containing only four paws & a skull.

We have also included the Snowy Owl in this group, although it is not closely related.