Who Should Win?
by
James Bow
·
1 year ago
In this matchup, two Birds of Prey face off for the right to move onto the Quarter Finals. Who will prevail: the Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) -- finalist in the 2023 March Species Madness -- or the Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), a newcomer to the tournament?
As different as these birds are, they are both raptors. Why? Well, as our friends at Wild Ontario explained (see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLu2OcNLvVA) while we refer to owls and osprey as "Birds of Prey", most birds are predators of some form. But while woodpeckers or kingfishers or pelicans may hunt with their beaks, owls, osprey, eagles, falcons and more use their talons to attack and kill their prey, even if they have very different methods of attack.
The Great Horned Owl, for instance, is built for flying silently and sounding out its prey with its excellent hearing. Osprey are built for speed, diving into water and taking off again. But in both birds, their talons come into play.
It's almost a shame to pit them against one another, but only one can move on to the quarterfinals. We can help both species thrive if we protect the natural spaces they call home, but in the meantime, cast your ballot below.
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