A Parliament of Owls

A Parliament of Owls
David Tipling

Mike Unwin

A unique collection of stunning photographs and detailed portraits of over fifty of the most striking owl species around the world.The less we know about something, the more we create a mythology around it. This is especially true for owls. Mainly nocturnal, generally silent, and reliant on the element of surprise in their attacks, they seldom encounter humans, but we have still created a vast body of legend around these mysterious avians – for some, they symbolise wisdom, for others they are the agents of evil or harbingers of death.Understanding these birds is a great challenge outstandingly met by award-winning natural history author Mike Unwin and David Tipling, one of Britain’s foremost photographers. Unwin, who has watched and admired owls all over the world, captures the essence of each species, while explaining the unique natural history that has made these silent assassins the most effective feathered predators of darkness. He describes a fascinating range of breeding and hunting behaviour, the unusual calls that have given rise to so much superstition, and the cultural impact of owls around the world. The stunning range of photographs, taken and compiled by David Tipling, captures the beauty of each species and the drama of the landscapes they inhabit.At once an investigation and a celebration, A Parliament of Owls looks at over fifty species of these infinitely fascinating birds, from the Snowy Owl hunting lemmings in the Arctic tundra to the rodent-eating Burrowing Owl of the dusty hollows beneath the South American pampas.

COPYRIGHT (#uaad5a266-09ad-54e2-add3-22b8bdcb796d)

A Quintessence Book

First published in Great Britain by William Collins

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First published by William Collins in 2016

This eBook edition published by William Collins in 2016

Copyright © 2016 Quintessence Editions Ltd.

Foreword copyright © 2016 Tony Angell

The authors assert their moral right to be identified as the authors of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

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Front cover photograph of Eurasian Eagle Owl © David Tipling

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Source ISBN: 9780008206703

Ebook Edition © November 2016 ISBN: 9780008206727

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CONTENTS

COVER (#uaa1c7788-0d3b-5dcb-8152-de6ba60796f6)

TITLE PAGE (#u8be26757-1b58-55d0-8562-817ddf5f6562)

COPYRIGHT

FOREWORD

INTRODUCTION

01 NORTH AMERICA

02 CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA

03 EURASIA

04 AFRICA

05 SOUTHERN ASIA & AUSTRALASIA

06 OCEANIC ISLANDS

GLOSSARY

FURTHER INFORMATION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INDEX

PICTURE CREDITS

ABOUT THE AUTHORS (#litres_trial_promo)

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

A Barn Owl captured in a seemingly angelic pose as it approaches the nest.

FOREWORD (#uaad5a266-09ad-54e2-add3-22b8bdcb796d)

TONY ANGELL

Author and Illustrator of The House of Owls

I have had the pleasure of living in the company of owls for most of my life. I have sketched, painted, carved, modeled, and written about them. My creative response has certainly contributed to my understanding of owls, but despite such familiarity they remain mysterious to me. Ironically, the more I learn about their behavior, physiology, and beauty, the more enigmatic they become. One discovery leads to another! In this well-written and beautifully photographed book, Mike Unwin and David Tipling have gained considerable ground in solving some of the mysteries.

Among the 240 species of owls are birds that are astonishing in their contrasts and capabilities. From the past and even to this day cultures around the world both revere and fear them. They range in size from the diminutive Elf Owl, weighing little more than a hen’s egg and no larger than a song sparrow, to the enormous Blakiston’s Fish Owl, larger than many eagles and equally powerful. Owls are versatile hunters; their prey can range from scorpions and termites to crocodiles and king salmon. Some owls scamper road-runner style to capture prey, whereas others snatch a meal from the air. Their habitats range from alpine mountains and subzero Arctic tundra to lowland deserts, tropical jungles, and isolated islands. They are equipped with unique sensory apparatus: some owls can hear, locate, and capture their quarry, even if it is concealed beneath a layer of snow or ground litter. Their nocturnal habits require a visual acuity allowing them to detect movement and shape in light conditions equivalent to a blackout.

By grouping the selection of owls geographically within six bioregions, Unwin and Tipling enable better appreciation of their unique adaptive capacities. I found I was on a worldwide tour and savoring each species group! Descriptions of the owls that occupy the vast archipelago of the South Oceanic Islands were particularly fascinating, because many of them are endemic. The Palau, for example, has a range of only 170 square miles (440 sq km). Compare this limited range with the Northern Hawk Owl, which occupies portions of the millions of square miles of the boreal forest of the northern hemisphere.

Many owls are uniquely adapted to their habitats, which are vulnerable to the ever-expanding effects of human intrusions. Climate change certainly looms large as one effect, but others are even more direct and immediate. Pesticides remain a threat, because they travel up the food chain to weaken owls or kill them outright. Birds hunting along the highway borders are routinely killed in collisions with vehicles. Expanding agriculture and forestry remove and fragment land and wooded habitat. Feral and invasive animals compete with or kill owls. For example, in the Pacific Northwest, the population of Northern Spotted Owls continues to decline nearly three percent each year and not just as a result of the fragmentation of its old growth habitat. Within the past half century, the aggressive, opportunistic, and adaptable Barred Owl has moved west across North America to invade the compromised forests of the Pacific Northwest. In doing so, the Barred Owl has displaced and even killed the Northern Spotted Owl. The solution has been to remove the Barred Owls lethally, but this solution may be futile if there is continued fragmentation of old growth forests without restoration.

Despite the threats and declines to owls, this book illustrates there is hope for the future. There are strategies and models for restoring and sustaining owl communities: nest boxes, placement of sighting snags, and restoration after timber removal can help sustain healthy populations.