Owl Awareness Day
with The Raptor Center
Enjoy family-friendly owl-themed content from The Raptor Center
To celebrate International Owl Awareness Day on Aug 4, we've compiled some fun and educational videos, resources, and activities that you can enjoy as a family!
What is an owl?
An owl is a special type of raptor, or bird of prey. Watch to learn what makes a raptor unique to other birds and some special adaptations that owls have, with Lois the great horned owl.
What makes owls important?
Large owls are apex predators, which means they are at the top of the food chain. The health of these owls tells us a lot about the health of the rest of the environment. Because of this, we call them "sentinel species" since they alert us to problems or concerns elsewhere. As predators, owls also play a critical role in controlling prey populations.
Human activity can impact the health of owls. Chemicals used to kill rodents, habitat loss due to human development, collisions with cars and other man-made structures, and disruptions to the ecosystem all endanger the lives of owls. But by understanding these harms, we can work to keep owls safe and even positively benefit their populations. More ideas to help are below!
Owl videos from The Raptor Center
Animation of how owls eat and then make owl pellets
Dissecting owl pellets in our raptor "kitchen"
Reading a children's book about owls - with an owl!
Spruce is a northern saw-whet owl who lives at The Raptor Center
Each year our clinic sees about 1,000 raptor patients, including hundreds of owls.
Our ultimate goal is to release them back to the wild.
Barred owl release
Great horn release
Snowy owl release
Whooo's that owl? Learn owl calls from the videos below!
Great horned owl call
Barred owl call
Barn owl call
Boreal owl call
Owl activities and games
Navigate the mazes and help the hungry owls catch their dinners!
Hone your owl lingo and find the bird words in this word search
Owls are masters of camouflage - see how long it takes you to spot the owls in these pictures
Download and print these owl coloring pages
Download this template to make your own owl mask
Solve the riddles and puzzles in this online adventure quest to find a northern saw-whet owl
Cook up some owl treats with these owl cookies or owl cupcakes
Follow this step-by-step guide from Audubon to draw an owl of your own
For the younger family members, create this owl from your child's handprint
What you can do to help owls
Make your yard raptor-friendly with this infographic guide
Learn more about owls and other raptors to understand why they are so important for the health of our ecosystems
Follow and support our work at The Raptor Center as we rehabilitate raptors, educate the public, and research environmental and conservation issues
About The Raptor Center
Based in St. Paul, MN, The Raptor Center (TRC) rescues and rehabilitates sick and injured raptors (birds of prey) for release back to the wild. We see around 1,000 wild birds each year.
TRC also offers educational programs for people of all ages to learn more about raptors and our shared environment. We do this with the help of ambassador birds who cannot be released to the wild but help us inspire and teach others.