The owl has a reputation for being wise and a symbol of status – this reputation hails from the Greek Mythology as the owl was an icon of Athena, the goddess of learning and intelligence. The nursery rhyme – Wise Old Owl, comes to mind:
A wise old owl sat in an oak,
The more he heard, the less he spoke;
The less he spoke, the more he heard;
Why aren’t we all like that wise old bird?
Author: Unknown
Owls love to explore unknown territory and have a knack for all new things. They have a curious nature, and love to discover new things and so it is for this wise old owl who came down the chimney and wanted to know what is happening at the Clubhouse, here at The Somerset in Somerset West.
Our Estate Manager – Nick Paul, alerted members of staff and they kindly helped this beautiful bird of prey and set him/her free.
Helderberg Nature Reserve is just a stones-throw away from The Somerset and has a rich natural environment of which is home to a wide variety of birds – amongst them, eagles and owls. We have been fortunate to spot some interesting visits from our feathery friends. One of our residents – Marius Kritzinger, who is a keen photographer and nature lover, spotted this Barn Owl – peeping out of the Clubhouse chimney. Previously we’ve also seen Cape Eagle Owls and Nightjars.
Some interesting facts about owls:
- Many owl species have asymmetrical ears. When located at different heights on the owl’s head, their ears are able to pinpoint the location of sounds in multiple dimensions. Ready, aim, strike.
- The eyes of an owl are not true “eyeballs.” Their tube-shaped eyes are completely immobile, providing binocular vision which fully focuses on their prey and boosts depth perception.
- Owls can rotate their necks 270 degrees. A blood-pooling system collects blood to power their brains and eyes when neck movement cuts off circulation.
- A group of owls is called a parliament. This originates from C.S. Lewis’ description of a meeting of owls in The Chronicles of Narnia.
- Owls hunt other owls.
- The tiniest owl in the world is the Elf Owl, which is 5 – 6 inches tall and weighs about 1 ½ ounces.
- Not all owls hoot!
- Owls are zygodactyl, which means their feet have two forward-facing toes and two backward-facing toes. Unlike most other zygodactyl birds, however, owls can pivot one of their back toes forward to help them grip and walk.
Here at The Somerset Lifestyle and Retirement Village, you will never tire of the beauty, the wonder, and the richness of the surroundings. To contact us, click here.
