Differences between Owl and Thrush

Owl and Thrush are two classes of birds that belong to the Tytonidae and Turdidae 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.

Thrush is a small and stout song bird. It has a large round head, pointed bill, short tail, and soft plumage. Its eyes are usually large with eye rings. The legs are long and sturdy, while the toes are flexible for perching. The bird’s skin is generally reddish brown on the back and white on the belly with spots or stripes. The color varies for different species. There are about 170 species of Thrushes. Wood Thrush, Blackbird, American Robin, Song Thrush, Ground Thrush, Hermit Thrush, and Himalayan Forest Thrush are some of them.

Where are Owl and Thrush 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.

Thrushes live in forests and places with tall trees, damp soil, foliage filled grounds, and streams. They also live near human dwellings provided there are tall trees, vegetation, and water sources in the vicinity. Thrushes can be found in North Africa, southern Europe, New Zealand, Australia, Asia, Canada, and parts of America.

What do Owl and Thrush 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.

Thrushes are omnivorous birds. They hop and run looking for food on the ground. They eat snails, earthworms, grasshoppers, spiders, beetles, wasps, slugs, larvae, insects, invertebrates, fruits, and cherries.

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

• Owl do eat Fish while Thrush may not eat Fish.
• Both Owl and Thrush eat Frogs.
• Both Owl and Thrush eat Lizards.
• Owl do eat Snakes while Thrush may not eat Snakes.
• Owl do eat Turtles while Thrush may not eat Turtles.
• Owl do eat Squirrels while Thrush may not eat Squirrels.
• Gophers are commonly eaten by Owl while Thrush do not eat Gophers.
• Baby Ducks are commonly eaten by Owl while Thrush do not eat Baby Ducks.
• Owl do eat Mice while Thrush may not eat Mice.

Size of Owl and Thrush?

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.. Depending on the species, Thrushes are five to 12 inches long with a wingspan of 12-16 inches. Mistle Thrush is one of the largest Thrush species. It is 11.41 inches long.

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 Thrushes is 1.52 ounces. Song Thrush is one of the heaviest among Thrush species. It weighs 1.76-3.77 ounces.

Where do Owl and Thrush 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.

Thrushes build their nests in trees and bushes, sometimes even on the ground or below shrubs and tall trees. The nests are meticulously constructed with sticks, grass, leaves, and moss. The materials are neatly bound using dung or mud to create perfect structures. It is usually the female Thrush that builds the nest. She takes about three weeks to complete the task. The nest are used for multiple broods. Thrush eggs are glossy blue with a smooth texture. The eggs of few species could have brown speckles. The mother bird incubates the eggs for about two weeks, after which they hatch. The responsibility of feeding the young ones is shared between the parents. The chicks are ready to fledge when they are two weeks old.

How long do Owl and Thrush 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 Thrushes is two to 12 years. American Robin has the shortest life expectancy of two years, while Wood Thrush is known to have the longest lifespan of eight years. The longest-lived Thrush bird was a Swainson’s Thrush. It was 12 years and one month old when it was caught for banding in 2006 in Montana, USA.

Are Owl or Thrush 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.

Majority of Thrush species are migratory. Some species like Wood Thrush migrate twice a year. Birds of this species travel long distances, crossing the Gulf of Mexico in one night. Redwing Thrush migrates southward from the east coast of UK. Some species from Scandinavia travel to the UK, while some of them relocate from UK to Spain and north Africa. In America, the species living in coasts move towards Mexico and Central America in winters. Thrush species living in inlands will spend the winter in South America. Thrushes from northeast Europe migrate to north and south Africa. Asian species such as Eyebrowed Thrush migrate from China, Japan, and Korea to Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines. The Himalayan Thrush relocates from the Himalayas during winters to the western ghats in India.

Do Owl and Thrush 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 group of Thrushes is known as mutation. Most species are predominantly solitary birds. They may form small groups of 50 for roosting and feeding if there is abundant food in the vicinity. Some species may forage with their family in summers. However, Thrushes are highly territorial in nature, defending their territories year after year.

Are Owl or Thrush 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.

Thrushes are protected in some parts of the world, such as the UK, France, Canada, India, and Australia. Killing or capturing them is against the law in these countries.

Are Owl or Thrush 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.

Thrushes are largely not endangered birds. However, Taita Thrush is a species that is listed as endangered. A very small population of them exist in Kenya. Principe Thrush is another endangered species that is endemic to Principe, Italy. Spotted Ground Thrush is also considered to be endangered. Meanwhile, the population of certain species like Song Thrush, Bicknell’s Thrush, Tickell’s Thrush, and Laughing Thrush is reducing drastically due to scarcity of food, loss of habitat, and predator threats. Grand Cayman Thrush, Bonin Thrush, and Kamao Thrush are the extinct species.

Can Owl and Thrush 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.

Thrushes are amazing avian birds. They have sprawling wingspan for excellent aerodynamics. The birds spread out their wings and tail, and tuck in their legs during flight. The flying speed of Thrushes depends on the species. The average speed is 30-50 miles an hour. Most species fly long distances during migration. Wood Thrushes travel over 2,000 miles on a single way, covering more than 311 miles in a day.

Can Owl and Thrush 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.

Thrushes are not water birds. They have clawed feet for perching. The birds are not known to swim. They bathe in small puddles.

Mating patterns among Owl and Thrush

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.

Thrushes attain sexual maturity when they are one to two years old, subject to the type of species. At the arrival of the mating season, the male bird chooses a breeding site. He perches there, singing loudly to attract a mate. When the female favors a male and the nesting site he has chosen, she engages in courtship. The partners fly, sing, and feed together while perching intermittently. The female Thrush lays three to five eggs in a clutch, one egg each day. Some species may have more than one brood in a year. While the female builds the nest and incubates the eggs, she gets the support of the male in feeding the young ones.

When is the mating season for Owl and Thrush ?

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

The mating season for Thrushes occurs differently based on the species and geography. The duration is usually March-August.

Do Owl and Thrush mate for life?

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

Thrushes are monogamous for the particular breeding season. Most birds stay loyal during the period. However, extra-pair copulation has been observed.

How do Owl and Thrush 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.

Thrushes are not sociable birds. They do not often roost in groups. They prefer to sleep amidst dense vegetation. During the breeding season, female birds usually sleep at the nest.

Can Owl and Thrush 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.

The meat of Thrush birds was commonly consumed in Europe in earlier years. Thrush meat cuisines from Italy, France, Ireland, and Belgium are documented. However, the birds are not widely eaten in modern times.

Can you hunt Owl or Thrush?

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.

Thrushes are hunted for sport or caught with nets in several parts of the world. There are not adequate laws to protect the birds. Countries like France, USA, and Canada prohibit hunting of these birds.

Can you feed Owl or Thrush?

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

People in Australia, New Zealand, France, UK, and USA are known to have feeding stations at their backyards and gardens to attract birds like Thrush. Thrush species are offered cherries, worms, soaked raisins, corn, and fruits.