I was not aware just how easy it is to learn an owl's diet just by observing their feet! It's baffiling how some of these owls have the precision to catch even the smallest of bugs and critters, and others the ability to catch prey almost as seemingly big as themselves! I wasn't all too surpised by the variety of their diet. From what I've read about, in some instances owls will feed even on roadkill. So they're definitely not picky eaters!

Wow I didn't know so many owls ate insects and smaller creatures!! I already knew Barred Owls ate things like frogs from watching the Barred Owl cam but I didn't expect insects even for the smaller ones.  The Powerful Owl must be really strong to carry a wallaby!! I have always wanted to go to Australia because they have so many unique animals. With the fish owls I would have thought they were hawks at first. Has anyone else read the article about those Barn Owls? It is really fascinating!!

I did not thought owls ate opossums. I once saw an opossum ( in real life) and it was huge. I did not knew it ate insects or snails. Moths are something I did not knew was in an owl´s diet. The scorpions and centipedes are venomous, but they eat it! I have learned a lot, and I am still finding an owl.

That was very eye opening to see the wide variety of prey that different owls eat.   Insects and owls did not go together in my old schema.

I did not realize owls had such a diverse diet.  I was really surprised byt the fish eating owls.

Yes some of the things they eat surprises me.

I didn’t know about the differences in the size of owl toes. It’s a little dicey to make the call, but it makes sense that the thinner toes are more useful to insect and small bird feeders. Also, when I look at toe orientation, it seems that when an owl extends a toe to the side, the effect is very “thumb” like, making the toe arrangement excellent for grasping.

well, i once saw an image of a great grey owl eating a fawn.

• I did not know that the size of talons helped clue you in in what owls eat, however I did know that their range and habitat were clues and in other birds the beaks were also indicators.  The wallabies as prey to powerful owls would be the one suprise

I did not know there were several species of owls that specialize in eating fish. This is, to me, reminiscent of an Osprey as being the "fish specialist" of the diurnal birds of prey family. I also did not know that many owls eat insects!

I hadn't known how many owls eat insects.

Question, when an owl bobs and weaves its head about is it listening, focusing its eyes or both?

Thought they were all carnivores.

I didn't realize how many owls ate insects; I thought they all ate mainly small mammals.  I certainly wasn't aware that there are owls that eat primarily fish!  The variety among the different owl groups has truly been astounding me throughout this course.

I hadn't really thought that much about it before, but didn't realize that some ate insects, like beetles.  I was surprised and somewhat saddened that some eat other birds, but that is how it is with the food chain.  After another student pointed out that fish eat fish and mammals eat mammals (sometimes), I guess it's not that unusual. I was also surprised that some can hunt or be seen during the day.  I didn't know that and will pay more attention when out for hikes by the fields in the winter.  And learning about, and seeing, the beautiful fish-eating owls was surprising as well. I found this and the previous section very interesting; the pictures and video are amazing.

I didn't know much about an Owl's diet - especially eating cats (wow) or how an Owl's feathers are associated with their silent flight or where there ears were located.   The variety of their diet was a surprise to me.  So amazing and interesting!!!!

I was on a walk with some experienced birders a year or so ago and they were talking about the cat collars they have seen high up in trees. I was shocked that great horned owls can take cats like that. And wallabies?! Yikes!!!

It seems to me that owls are quite adaptable in terms of diet. I was surprised to learn that some (many) owls eat insects. If I owned a cat, I would be worried to let it outside after this lesson! I am wondering if we'll be learning about owl pellets during this course?

I saw, in one of the lessons, that a Great Horned Owl, can hunt, up to the size of a Cat. I would love to see a picture of a larger Owl species, in a fight with a Cat. Or even a Grouse. It seems the Owls, usually go after smaller vertebrates. But if there is a picture of a larger Owl, hunting a medium/small vertebrate, it must be awesome. OWL vs. CAT, or OWL vs. GROUSE.   It would have to be a larger/largest Owl. Great Horned Owl / Fish-Eagle-Hawk Owl.          ??   I did not know there was a Fish Owl, or a Hawk Owl, or an Eagle Owl. Kinda like the Osprey, to Eagles and Hawks. Same family, but a little different.

I was surprised to learn that some owls eat moths, and how many owls eat insects.

I wasn't aware there were fishing owls or that an owl would eat a wallaby.  When I was a teacher, I gave my class of 30 7th graders the task of owl pellet dissection.  29 showed the usual voles/rodents and 1 was full of black feathers.  The kids were amazed!

I have personally seen Short-eared Owls hunting bats. So whatever they can catch will be fair game for food.

Before this course I hadn't heard of fishing or fish owls. Ospreys and other fishing eagles were familiar, but not the fishing owls.

I am definitely surprised that there are owls that specialize in eating moths and beetles! I knew about most of the other diets.

Most of the owl's prey makes sense when you look at the owl because owls have features to help them hunt for their diet. For example, owls with strong and sharp talons would most likely hunt birds or small mammals. However, I found it surprising how a small owl could hunt another bird. This proves what amazing hunters owls are, and how skilled they are.