Discover the fascinating and mysterious world of owls with this stunning full-color, encyclopedic visual guide that explores all 225 known species, packed with maps, photographs, illustrations, informative scientific details, and a bonus 351/2" x 12" accordion poster illustrated with the true-to-size wing length of the largest owl, overlayed with the wing length of the smallest owl and several owls in-between. Humans have long been fascinated by owls. From prehistoric cave paintings to popular modern children's stories, these magnificent predators have been seen as harbingers of good fortune and impending disaster, as icons of fear and wisdom, and as the powerful sidekicks of magic-makers, including the beloved Harry Potter. Scientists have faced tremendous challenges trying to document the lives of these solitary, nocturnal, and highly elusive creatures. New species are still being discovered, as are new insights into the habits of even the most familiar varieties. Visually spectacular and authoritative, Owls includes full descriptions and maps of key viewing locations for all 225 owl species in the world, and is illustrated with drawings and stunning full-color images from some of the leading wildlife photographers from around the world which capture these birds' breathtaking beauty and power. The book also features a special section on the art of hiding--a highly honed skill set of the owl. Throughout, Marianne Taylor provides a wealth of detail on each type of bird's hunting and breeding behavior, habitat, and conservation. Inside, are dozens of fun facts, such as: Only nineteen of the 225 known species of owls are found in North America; Owls can be found on all continents except Antarctica; Owls, like humans, have binocular vision; Owls cannot turn their eyes, but are able to rotate their heads up to 270 degrees; Owls are carnivorous and are known to eat rodents, small mammals, nocturnal insects, fish, and other birds. Lavishly illustrated and educational, this breathtaking volume is essential for readers interested in natural science, devout birders, professional ornithologists, and all owl lovers.

Author Biography

Marianne Taylor is a freelance writer, illustrator, photographer, and editor. Her interest in natural history began at an extremely early age, as she became passionately interested in first butterflies and then birds. The daughter of two librarians, one of whom later became a secondhand bookseller, Marianne was as bookish as she was bird-obsessed. She worked for seven years in natural history publishing, first for bird book publisher Christopher Helm, and later for Birdwatch magazine. Her particular interest in owls and other birds of prey was fueled by a brief but unforgettable adventure in 2005, when she joined bird ringers studying Ural, Tengmalm's, and Eagle owls in the forests of Sweden. She began a new career as a writer in 2007, and since then has written more than a dozen books for adults and children on a range of natural history subjects. Her previous work includes RSPB British Birds of Prey, Beautiful Owls, and Owls.