Evolution

Owls can be traced back to 38-54 million years ago from the Miocene, a period of warmth yet brimming with climate variability. The result was two main families of modern owls. The first knowledge of giant owls was discovered in Cuba, 1954 (Lisa Buckley, 2019). Ornimegalonyx existed in the Late Pleistocene era, also known as the Ice Age. Fossils of this ancient bird was found in Sierra de Sumidero by Oscar Arredondo, a Cuban paleontologist. Modern day, there are about 250 known owl species in the world (Owl Id Guide I Owl Research Institute). Owls are a part of a group of birds called Strigiformes. This group is divided further into two families consisting of Tytonidae and Strigidae. Tytonidae include barn owls, famous for their distinct heart-shaped faces and their smaller eyes. Strigidae contain all other owl species sporting round faces. Ancient owls were 2 to 3 times larger than modern owls and thought to be flightless due to their size (Lisa Buckley, 2019). The genus bubo is Latin for the Eurasian eagle-owl. Owls within the genus bubo having ear tufts and more pronounced beaks than various barn owl species.