“These are they of which ye shall not eat ... the owl ... the little owl, and the great owl.” Deuteronomy 14:12-16
Although owls, as unclean birds, were not to be eaten by the Israelites, they were a part of God’s carefully chosen creation, and He has provided for them in remarkable ways.
The smallest of the two hundred species is the little elf owl, which lives in the cactus of lonely deserts. The great horned owl and the great gray owl, both standing two feet high or more, are the largest. The most common owl is the barn or screech owl. It is a dull-brown bird about fourteen inches tall, marked with feathered legs and stiff, tufted ears. Since it does not build a nest, the eggs are laid in a hole in the ground.
Another, the burrowing owl, makes its nest five to ten feet underground and sometimes takes over a burrow of ground squirrels or prairie dogs, or shares it with them. Other owl species live in hollow logs or holes in tree trunks.
Most of these interesting birds hunt at night, except for the snowy owl of the Arctic that finds its food in the daytime. The Creator has given owls large eyes so they can see in the dark. They can see only a narrow area ahead, but can quickly turn their heads almost completely around, actually seeing more than most other birds. Their eyes are ten times more sensitive to light than the human eye. If exposed to bright light, they have a protective membrane that will cover the eye, reducing the glare. They have also been given strong, grasping talons and sharp, hooked beaks to catch and hold their prey.
Most owls eat mice, rats, small birds, rabbits, squirrels, gophers and even snakes, skunks and scorpions. This makes them one of God’s ways of keeping the populations of these creatures under control.
Their soft, downy feathers offer little resistance to the air when flying, so their flight is almost silent. Their keen hearing is helped by face feathers, curved in a way that they direct sounds to flaps of skin around their specially designed ears. This enables them to focus on the slightest sound and fly silently to it, no matter how dark the night.
In Psalm 102:6-7 we read, “I am like an owl of the desert. I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the housetop.” This gives us a picture of the experience of the Lord Jesus Christ as He went through this world. He was rejected, except by a few who would accept Him as their Saviour. Though He has now returned to heaven, many people still reject His love and mercy. Do not be a part of this Christ-rejecting group, but hear and accept His loving invitation: “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
ML-08/07/2011