Like other parts of the owl’s body, their eyes have some unique features that allow owls to see even in low light at night. So you have come to the question, Do Owls Have Eyelashes? That’s why you came to read this post of mine.
Eyelashes are seen in several species of owls, but not in all species of owls, and owls’ eyelashes may not be as obvious as those of mammals like us.
Through this article, I will give you a perfect idea of which species of owls have eyelashes and what owl eyelashes look like, along with pictures that will help you know more details about owl eyes.
Contents
List of owl species with and without eyelashes
As mentioned earlier, eyelashes are not visible in all species of owls, but the eyelashes of several species are visible. Below is a list of some owl species with and without eyelashes:
| Owl species with eyelashes | Owl species without eyelashes |
| Great Horned Owl | Barn Owl |
| Snowy Owl | Long-eared Owl |
| Eastern Screech-Owl | Little Owl |
| Burrowing Owl | Bay Owl |
| Great Horned Owl | Barn Owl |
Do baby owls have eyelashes?
Baby owls have much smaller feathers and fewer feathers than older owls. Young owls have eyelashes, like older owls, but not all owl species do. Owl species that have eyelashes can see the eyelashes of their babies.
Just as human babies have visible eyelashes, owl babies do not. Baby owls have small, cottony feathers covering their faces. These feathers will later grow when the owlets grow up, and new, smaller feathers will cover the entire face.
Do owls have eyebrows?
Although owls do not have true eyebrows like humans, several species of owls do have a distinctive small bunch of feathers. These feathers distinguish owl species from one species to another.
This eyebrow shape The bundle of feathers plays an important role in the beautification of the owl. Not all species of owls have this kind of bunch of feathers, but it can be observed in several species of owls.
Due to the slightly darker color of the feathers above the eyes of this species of owl, we may think they are eyebrows. It is drawn up to two large bunches of feathers on either side of the owl’s head, which many mistake for the owl’s ears.
Below are the names of several species of owls that have eyebrow-shaped tufts of feathers above their eyes.
- Great Horned Owl
- Long-eared Owl
- Crested Owl
- White-browed Owl
- Eastern Screech-Owl
Do owls have eyelids?
Yes, perhaps like us have eyelids that they use to protect their eyes. However, apart from the eyelids, owls have a transparent, thin layer over their eyes called the nictitating membrane, which is also known as the third eyelid of owls.
Owls blink their nictitating membrane repeatedly as they use it to keep their eyes lubricated and clear.
Owls’ eyelids and nictitating membrane protect them from strong winds and dust when they fly to hunt.
Owls have larger eyes than other birds, even larger than owls in proportion to their body weight. Their unique eye features help them see well even in low light at night.
Owls eye tubes
Owls have tubes or cylinders in their eyes, just like our eyes have eyeballs. Eye tubes are found in the eyes of nocturnal animals such as lemurs, tarsiers, and owls.
Owls have rod-shaped eyes and are fixed in eye sockets. Owls have large eyes, and their eye tubes allow more light to enter the eyes, making it difficult for owls to see in broad daylight.
But owls have eye tubes that help them see well in low light, which is why owls are nocturnal birds.
The eye tubes of owls cannot move, which is why owls have to turn their heads to see something, which is why an owl cannot turn its head 360 degrees but can turn it up to 270 degrees.
Why can’t owls move their eyes?
Owls’ eyes are adapted to see well at night, which is why owls’ eyes have a completely different structure than ours.
Just like our eyeballs, owls have eye tubes that prevent the eyes from rotating in their sockets. This is why you will never see an owl roll its eyes like we do.
Owls also have tube-shaped eyes that have sclerotic rings to hold them tightly to the bony structure around their eyes. Because these rings are rigid, owls can’t roll their eyes like we do.
FAQs
Q. How many eyelashes do owls have?
Ans: Unlike mammals, owls do not have hair follicles, so owls do not have eyelashes. A flock of owls can look like eyelashes.
Q. Do owls have 3 eyelids?
Ans: Yes owls have three eyelids, two like ours, and the third is known as the nictating membrane.
Q. Do owls close their eyes?
Ans: Yes owls close their eyes when they sleep just like us. Also, they close their eyes to protect themselves from dirt, wind, and sun.
Q. What color are owls eyes at night?
Ans: Owls’ eyes appear black at night, but when light shines on their eyes, they glow and twinkle.
Conclusion
I covered the importance of owl eyes in the answer to the Do Owls Have Eyelashes question above. The more we learn about these nocturnal creatures, the more we are bound to wonder.
It would not be wrong to say that the structure of the eyes of owls makes them skilled nocturnal birds. However, the call of an owl at night evokes a different feeling in many of us.
However, due to our unconsciousness, several species of owls are now on the endangered list.
To save this beautiful bird, we need to know more details about it, so I request that you come back to this website for more details about owls.
