The False Eyes of the Ferruginous Pygmy Owl ( lemmy.world )

Photos all from Lew Scharpf on Flickr (except the Kestrel)

I came across this last weekend and couldn't believe I hadn't seen there was an owl with eyes in the back of its head before! There are so many pics of different pygmy owls out there, but nobody was talking about this.

Lots of animals (fish, insects) have false eyes, but I hadn't seen birds with them. The fancy name for them is ocelli. The only birds I can find with them are this little owl and the American Kestrel, another small raptor. It is thought it both distracts potential prey by not letting them know if they've been spotted or not, and also possibly to do the same to larger birds and other animals that would want to eat the owl.

It's only about 6 inches / 15 cm tall, but it can take in pretty twice it's size, thanks to those amazing raptor feet. They hunt during the day, and will eat large bugs, small lizards and mammals, and birds up you the size of doves. Unlike many owls, they have semetrical ears, so it's thought they hunt mainly by site.

They live mostly in a Central and South America, but some are left in Arizona. Habitat loss is greatly affecting their numbers. The live in old nest cavities in trees and giant cactus, and wildfires and human activity have been bad for the environment they need to nest.

Bird facts from ABCbirds.com

https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/f80841e5-d728-4a37-8c50-8a0fe23806c3.jpeg
the real eyes in the front of the head

https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/dcddbbc2-f0e2-446f-9aa6-ebcce95cd680.jpeg
still the real eyes, but now in the back, see, it tricked you!

https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/cb4358e0-9c80-4363-b999-24847906c760.jpeg
this is the kestrel