Once again, the website proves that it is the ideal place to discover unusual things. Just as it happened to this Internet user whose curiosity was rewarded with a creepy image of what a owl without its plumage.
We have never seen an owl without feathers and it is… shocking!
Usually, owls are beautiful birds, symbols of wisdom and knowledge. Recognized by the peculiar sound they emit, for being able to move their head in such a way that it looks as if they rotate 360 degrees –very Linda Blair style– and for having leading roles in Harry Potter.
However, Dana Schwartz, writer, journalist for The Observer and Twitter user, went viral when she decided to look up what owls look like without feathers and the result was so impressive that it started a conversation in which other users They theorized, jokingly, even the possibility that they were aliens.
I just googled what owls look like without feathers and I am severely shook pic.twitter.com/B12IJ1atYl
— Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) January 8, 2017
Barn owls are a species of striform bird. found almost all over the world, with the exception of polar or desert regions, Greenland and some remote islands. They usually measure between 33 and 35 centimeters in length and their wings can reach up to 95 centimeters.
Furthermore they are excellent hunters. They feed mainly on rodents, small birds and insects, although they may occasionally devour small reptiles or amphibians. These nocturnal or twilight birds do not have many predators to worry about and some farmers even encourage owl nesting to combat mouse infestations.
In ancient times, the Romans associated owls with funeral rites due to the fact that they were nocturnal and their habit of making nests in inaccessible places. So they also believed that seeing one brought bad luck and were considered signs of imminent death. Almost like a black cat, only they have never been associated with witchcraft (until Harry Potter came along, of course.)
Currently, Japanese, Romanians, Chileans and Argentines share the idea that owls are «birds of bad omen» in his folklore. While others, on the contrary, perceive them as signs of good luck.
In any case, these extraordinary photographs show how important plumage – or fur – is for animals. In the case of these owls, its plumage makes up almost half its size and in addition to allowing them to fly, they are vital for conserving heat.
What do you think? Do you still find them beautiful or have you become ornithophobic? We hope that you continue to love owls and owls as much as we do and that you have discovered an interesting aspect of them that you did not know before, or have you seen an owl without feathers before?
Discover: The adventure of the owl who confused Lapland with Africa.
Images: Dana Schwartz, Kaz/