Differences between Owl and Pine-Siskin

Owl and Pine-Siskin are two classes of birds that belong to the Tytonidae and Fringillidae families respectively.

Owl is a large nocturnal bird. It has a round and flat face with hooked beaks, static eyes, and large ears. Its neck is flexible and can turn over 180 degrees on both sides. This allows the bird to look around and backward even with its fixed eyes. The bird cannot see color but its visual clarity is sharp. Its ears are asymmetrical but acute in discerning sounds from different dimensions. Owl is commonly seen standing in upright position. Its plumage is soft and heavy. The color varies for different species, from grey to brown to reddish brown. The plumage mostly have markings on them, camouflaging the owl amidst dense foliage. The fossils of owls are dated back to over 65.5 million years. At present, there are about 250 species in the Owl family.

Pine Siskin is a small song bird. It has a small head, jagged tail, and large body. The plumage is a darker brown on the back and paler brown on the stomach with white patches all over the body. The wings and tails have yellow patches. The bird’s bill is cone-like and pointed. The legs are short and brown with four toes for perching. Pine Siskins are noisy while foraging, flying, and mating. They make raspy and chirpy sounds. They are specially known for the long, harsh twitters they produce.

Where are Owl and Pine-Siskin found?

Owls live in diverse habitats such as forests, mountains, plains, and deserts. The Snowy Owl lives in the frigid regions of North Pole. Species like Great Horned Owl and Barred Owl can be found in cities. Owls can be found in all countries of the world except Antarctica.

Pine Siskins prefer conifer and deciduous forests. However, they are also found in grasslands, meadows, woodlands, and suburban areas where there are plenty of trees. The bird is native to North America. It travels across Canada, Alaska, and northern USA for breeding and during winters.

What do Owl and Pine-Siskin eat?

Owls are carnivorous birds. Their diet depends on food sources in their environment. Owls eat insects, rodents, crabs, snails, small birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles.

Pine Siskins are omnivores although they mostly eat seeds such as spruce, thistle, and birch. They eat insects also in summers. An interesting feeding style among Pine Siskins is that they turn upside down while holding on to conifer branches to eat the cones.

Here are a few pointers about the eating patterns between Owl and Pine-Siskin

• Owl do eat Fish while Pine-Siskin may not eat Fish.
• Owl do eat Frogs while Pine-Siskin may not eat Frogs.
• Owl do eat Lizards while Pine-Siskin may not eat Lizards.
• Owl do eat Snakes while Pine-Siskin may not eat Snakes.
• Owl do eat Turtles while Pine-Siskin may not eat Turtles.
• Owl do eat Squirrels while Pine-Siskin may not eat Squirrels.
• Gophers are commonly eaten by Owl while Pine-Siskin do not eat Gophers.
• Baby Ducks are commonly eaten by Owl while Pine-Siskin do not eat Baby Ducks.
• Owl do eat Mice while Pine-Siskin may not eat Mice.

Size of Owl and Pine-Siskin?

When it comes to size, The owls measure 0.4-2.3 feet in length with a wingspan of 1-6.6 feet. Elf Owl, which is the smallest in the family, is about 0.5 feet tall. Blakiston Fish Owl, the largest Owl species, is 2.3 feet tall.. Pine Siskins are 4.3-5.5 inches long. Their wingspan averages between 7.1-8.7 inches.

The weight of Owls varies for different species. Elf Owl weighs about 1.5 ounce, while the large North American Owl weighs about 8.8 pounds. while Pine Siskins are tiny birds that weigh 0.42-0.63 ounces.

Where do Owl and Pine-Siskin nest?

Owls do not build nests. They use holes in trees, quiet places in barns and buildings, caves, natural cavities in river banks, and nests of other birds to lay their eggs. The female Owl starts incubating the eggs when the first one is laid. She lays eggs two to three days apart. Consequently, the eggs do not hatch synchronously. In the nesting season, the female develops additional feathers, called brood patch, on her belly to provide warmth during incubation. The eggs hatch 32 days after incubation. The young ones fledge when they are six to eight weeks old.

The nests of Pine Siskins are large and shaped like cups. They are covertly placed on horizontal branches of trees, mostly conifers. The female bird constructs the nests with pieces of barks, twigs, grass, and leaves. They are lined with moss, feathers, and plant material. Pine Siskin eggs are bluish green with brown markings. The female lays two to six of them and incubates them continuously for 13 days while being fed by her partner. The parents feed the young ones through regurgitation. The chicks will be able to fledge in two weeks.

How long do Owl and Pine-Siskin live?

The average lifespan of Owls in the wild is five to 12 years. Larger Owls may live longer, sometimes up to 25 years. The oldest Owl, which was a female Great Horned Owl, turned 50 years in 2012. She lived in captivity at the San Francisco Zoo.

The average lifespan of Pine Siskins is five to six years. The oldest known bird lived for over nine years in North Carolina.

Are Owl or Pine-Siskin migratory birds?

Not all Owl species are migratory. Some relocate to warmer regions during winters. However, some Owls remain in their territories even in winters. The Great Gray Owl and the Great Horned Owl of Canada are resident species. The Snowy Owl that lives in the North Pole migrates to Canada and USA during winters. In Europe, the Scops Owls migrates to the tip of the Sahara Desert. The Short-Eared Owl is another migratory Owl from India that travels long distances, sometimes even crossing oceans.

Pine Siskins exhibit erratic migratory behavior. Their travel depends on the condition of cone crops in their habitats. In winters, they may either migrate in large flocks to the south, east, or west of North America or stay on in their territories.

Do Owl and Pine-Siskin fly in flocks?

A group of Owls is called a parliament. Owls are extreme loners and prefer solitary existence. They rarely flock aside the breeding season. They sometimes roost in small groups or in pairs for warmth in cold temperatures.

Pine Siskins are sociable birds. They live communally in large groups, making loud calls and sounds. They forage in trees and shrubs along with their flock, flying together from one tree to another. The birds are also known to migrate in large flocks consisting of many thousands. Pine Siskins are social even during the breeding season. Although they are territorial, the birds turn up at each other’s nests.

Are Owl or Pine-Siskin protected?

Owls are protected in most countries like the USA, UK, India, Canada, and Japan. They do not enjoy protection in some countries, while in some others only the endangered species are protected.

Pine Siskins are protected under the Migratory Bird Act in USA. They are also protected by law in Canada.

Are Owl or Pine-Siskin endangered?

Some species of Owls are endangered and face threat of extinction. These include Pernambuco Pygmy Owl, Siau Scops Owl, Forest Owl, Moheli Scops Owl, Congo Bay Owl, and Long-Whiskered Owlet. The population of Owls is threatened by loss of habitat, lack of food sources, hunting, and climate change.

Pine Siskins are not endangered, neither are they threatened. However, their population is on a downfall. The birds face threats from getting infected while flying in huge flocks, falling sick from bird feeders at people’s backyards, poisoning from pesticides, and dehydration.

Can Owl and Pine-Siskin fly?

Owls are known to fly without making any sound. The comb-like design on the edges of their feathers and their large wings enable them to fly noiselessly. They fly slowly, without flapping their wings too much. Some species of Owls fly at a speed of just two miles an hour, while the faster species can reach 40 miles per hour.

The flight of Pine Siskins is marked by their swift take off. The yellow blotches on the wings are flaunted as the birds fly with their head stuck out and legs folded. Pine Siskins fly boisterously in flocks, making different patterns to save energy.

Can Owl and Pine-Siskin swim?

Owls are not natural swimmers. They do not have webbed feet. However, they can manage to swim if they happen to accidentally fall in water.

Pine Siskins are not water birds. However, they may get into water for bathing and drinking.

Mating patterns among Owl and Pine-Siskin

Owls start mating when they are two to three years old. During the mating season, the male and female Owls perform mating dances. They also hoot mating calls that boost their bond and keep away other Owls from their territory. The male may get a prey as offering to the female to woo her. In some species, partners may engage in giggling and snapping of bills as part of mating ritual. The female may lay one to 15 eggs in a breeding season, however not all at once. It is her responsibility to lay eggs, incubate and hatch them. Once the chicks are born, the male may fetch food for them and give it to the female.

Pine Siskins attain sexual maturity before they turn one. The birds move to conifer or deciduous forests for breeding. During courtship, the male encircles the female by flight. He keeps his wings and tails spread out. The male also perches on top of trees and sings to attract the attention of the female. The female coos back when she has accepted the offer to mate. The partners also sing sophisticated notes during copulation. In another courtship behavior, the male fetches food and feeds it to the female. The female Pine Siskin generally raises two broods every season, laying three to six eggs in each clutch. She incubates the eggs in insulated nests, breeding continuously with her partner feeding her for all the 13 days. The partners also co-operate in feeding the young ones and guarding the nests.

When is the mating season for Owl and Pine-Siskin ?

The mating season for Owls is generally spring every year. However, some species mate during winter months.

Pine Siskins begin courtship in January-February. The mating season could extend up to spring and summer depending on the availability of food in the vicinity. The birds not always return to the same breeding site every year.

Do Owl and Pine-Siskin mate for life?

Owls are devoted partners. They mate for life. They also use the same nesting site year after year.

Pine Siskins are monogamous and loyal to their partners during the nesting season. They form pairs during winters.

How do Owl and Pine-Siskin sleep?

Owls are nocturnal birds. They sleep either on trees or on the ground while standing and keeping their eyes closed. Most species are awake during the night when they hunt. They mostly sleep during the day.

Pine Siskins sleep on concealed branches of conifer trees, typically 10-20 feet above the ground. They mostly roost in groups. During the breeding season, the female sleeps at the nesting site.

Can Owl and Pine-Siskin be eaten?

Humans are not known to have consumed Owls. The birds do not have much meat on them. Their taste is known to be unpalatable.

Pine Siskins are protected by law. It is illegal to kill them for meat.

Can you hunt Owl or Pine-Siskin?

Owls are typically not hunted. Only in cases when they cause trouble, people hunt them or capture them and release them in the wild. Hunting or harming Owls is not allowed in many countries.

Pine Siskins are not known to be hunted by humans. In recent times, there are laws that protect the birds from any harm or hunting.

Can you feed Owl or Pine-Siskin?

Most countries do not permit owning or feeding of Owls. In captivity, the birds are fed rodents, chicken, meat, and worms.

It is a common practice for people to leave food for birds in the feeders at their backyards. Pine Siskins are also maintained at zoos and wildlife parks. The best feeds to offer these birds is seeds, millets, and vegetables.