Differences between Owl and Rook

Owl and Rook are two classes of birds that belong to the Tytonidae and Corvidae 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.

Rook is a Eurasian bird that resembles the Crow. It has black plumage with purple sheen in addition to bushy feathers on its thighs. The bill is sharp and slightly curved. The legs are black with three forward and one backward toe. The bird differs from Crow and other members of the family by the white bare skin at the base of its bill. It is however as intelligent as other species of the Corvidae family. It can solve puzzles, plan in advance, build and apply tools, mimic human vocabulary, and display sophisticated behavior. The Rook family consists of two sub-species, namely, the Western Rook and the Eastern Rook.

Where are Owl and Rook 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.

Rooks prefer open grasslands, agricultural fields, and pastures with ample tall trees for breeding. The birds can be found in the fringes of towns and cities. Rooks exist in the UK, Ireland, Iran, northern and central Europe, parts of Asia, and New Zealand.

What do Owl and Rook 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.

Rooks are omnivores. They dig into agricultural fields for insects, larvae, and worms. They also eat beetles, larger insects, mice, small birds, eggs, seeds, grains, carrion, and food waste thrown away by humans.

Here are a few pointers about the eating patterns between Owl and Rook

• Both Owl and Rook eat Fish.
• Both Owl and Rook eat Frogs.
• Both Owl and Rook eat Lizards.
• Both Owl and Rook eat Snakes.
• Both Owl and Rook eat Turtles.
• Both Owl and Rook eat Squirrels.
• Gophers are commonly eaten by Owl, but not by all Rook.
• Baby Ducks are consumed by both Owland Rook.
• Mice are eaten by both Owl and Rook.

Size of Owl and Rook?

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.. Rooks are 1.4-1.5 feet long. They have a wingspan of three feet.

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 The average weight of Rooks is 11.99-18.69 ounces.

Where do Owl and Rook 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.

Rooks build large nests in colonies that are known as rookeries. They are constructed with twigs and lined with mud, moss, leaves, grass, hair, and wool. The nests stand freely on tall trees. Both male and female partners involve themselves in the construction of the nests. In some instances, they use old nests from previous years. The eggs are greenish white and sometimes have dark spots on them. They are about four centimeters long. The mother Rook incubates the eggs for 16-18 days. During this time, she does not leave the nest and gets fed by her partner. After the eggs hatch, both partners take turns to feed the young ones. The chicks fledge when they are four weeks old but continue to secure food from the parents for more time.

How long do Owl and Rook 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 Rooks is five to 10 years. However, through bird banding it has been observed that some Rooks live up to 20 years.

Are Owl or Rook 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.

The migration of Rooks depends on their location. The ones living in the southern hemisphere are mostly residents. The birds in the north relocate to the south during winters. They migrate in large flocks along with other species from their family, especially the Jackdaws. They return to their rookeries at the onset of spring. Rooks from northern parts of Europe and Asia migrate to southern Asia, western Europe, and the Middle East for wintering.

Do Owl and Rook 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.

A flock of Rooks is known as parliament, building, or clamor. Rooks are the most sociable in the Corvidae family. They are always spotted in large groups. They forage in flocks and use various vocalization to communicate. The birds are also known to play amongst themselves. In addition, Rooks sleep in big groups and nest together in large colonies.

Are Owl or Rook 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.

Rooks are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act in the UK. However, they can be killed with a permit to protect crops and livestock, and for the safety of aircrafts. Similar laws exist in other parts of Europe and Asia.

Are Owl or Rook 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.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified Rooks as species of least concern. The birds are not endangered. They exist in millions in their territorial countries.

Can Owl and Rook 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.

Rooks typically fly in large flocks. They keep their wings stiff during direct flights. They sometimes soar high in the company of Jackdaws. They fly at a speed of 32-45 miles an hour during migration.

Can Owl and Rook 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.

Rooks do not have webbed feet like waterbirds. Their body is not adaptable for swimming.

Mating patterns among Owl and Rook

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.

Rooks generally start mating when they are two years old. The male Rook sets the ground for courtship by bowing to the female, swinging his tail, and crouching his wings. He will also fetch food for her. The female will bow in return, ruffle her wings, and spread out her tail in acceptance. The partners caress each other’s bill and sing while mating. They are likely to be assaulted by other male birds. The female lays three to four eggs every breeding season. She takes the responsibility of incubating the eggs while the male fetches food for her. Once the eggs hatch, the partners feed the young ones during nesting and even for few weeks after fledging.

When is the mating season for Owl and Rook ?

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

The mating season for Rooks is March-June. The migratory birds return to their territories when spring sets in.

Do Owl and Rook mate for life?

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

Rooks are monogamous and generally mate for life. Nevertheless, there may be instances of bigamy. A nest could be used by multiple females.

How do Owl and Rook 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.

Rooks spend the nights in enormous flocks. As the sun sets, a noisy group of birds return to roosting sites. They sleep on branches in woodlands or even settle down in their rookeries. At daybreak, the birds disperse in different directions in search of food.

Can Owl and Rook 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.

Rooks are said to be consumed largely during the second world war. People still consume them in a gravy. The Rook pie recipe is much acclaimed. Although consumption of scavenging birds is not desired, people are not averse to Rook meat. The meat of young Rooks is said to be more delectable than that of adult Rooks.

Can you hunt Owl or Rook?

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.

Shooting young Rooks was a sport in the UK in earlier years. This served the purpose of sport, pest control, and hunting for meat. Rooks are known as agricultural pests. Killing them with with a license is permitted in most parts of the world as they destroy livestock and crops. They also rummage waste bins and cause health hazards to humans.

Can you feed Owl or Rook?

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

Rooks are not picky eaters. They can be given worms, insects, meat, berries, and fruits.