- There are over 200 species of owls. Ranging in size from the tiny Elf Owl at 5 – 6 inches tall, to the Great Grey Owl, which can be as tall as 32 inches.
- They are found on all continents of the world except Antarctica.
- As already mentioned, they are nocturnal birds.
- Owls are exceptional hunters, they hunt insects, small mammals, other birds and in some cases fish. A Northern Hawk Owl can detect a vole up to half a mile away.
- An owl’s sharp beak and powerful talons allow it to kill its prey before swallowing it whole.
- Owls have a distinctive look of a flat face with large eyes. They are farsighted and can’t focus clearly on near objects.
- Owl eyeballs aren’t completely spherical and can’t move. They compensate for this by being able to rotate their necks 270 degrees.
- The ears of many owl species are asymmetrical. This increases their ability to accurately pinpoint the location of a particular sound.
- The collective noun for a group of Owls is a Parliament. This originates from a description of a meeting of Owls in The Chronicles of Narnia.
- Owls often feature in fiction. Examples of famous owls include “Owl” in Winnie the Pooh and the “Owl and the Pussycat” by Edward Lear, to Hedwig, Harry Potter’s owl.
- In western culture, Owls are normally associated with wisdom, but in many other cultures, they are considered a bad omen.
25 Enigmatic Vintage Owl Drawings & Illustrations In The Public Domain
Dive into the captivating world of vintage owl drawings and illustrations. Explore a curated collection that brings to life the mystique and elegance of these nocturnal sentinels through the artistry of yesteryears. Perfect for art enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.
I think I’ve heard more owls than I’ve seen. This is unsurprising, as they are nocturnal birds with a distinct hooting call. There used to be one that lived in the tree outside my bedroom window. I never saw it, but I could hear it calling every night.
My father is an ornithologist, and I once asked him what his favourite bird was. He replied owls, without any hesitation. Unfortunately, I didn’t ask him why, but I have compiled a list of interesting facts about owls that might explain his choice. And hopefully, he will enjoy this collection of owl drawings and illustrations.
Interesting Facts About Owls
- There are over 200 species of owls. Ranging in size from the tiny Elf Owl at 5 – 6 inches tall, to the Great Grey Owl, which can be as tall as 32 inches.
- They are found on all continents of the world except Antarctica.
- As already mentioned, they are nocturnal birds.
- Owls are exceptional hunters, they hunt insects, small mammals, other birds and in some cases fish. A Northern Hawk Owl can detect a vole up to half a mile away.
- An owl’s sharp beak and powerful talons allow it to kill its prey before swallowing it whole.
- Owls have a distinctive look of a flat face with large eyes. They are farsighted and can’t focus clearly on near objects.
- Owl eyeballs aren’t completely spherical and can’t move. They compensate for this by being able to rotate their necks 270 degrees.
- The ears of many owl species are asymmetrical. This increases their ability to accurately pinpoint the location of a particular sound.
- The collective noun for a group of Owls is a Parliament. This originates from a description of a meeting of Owls in The Chronicles of Narnia.
- Owls often feature in fiction. Examples of famous owls include “Owl” in Winnie the Pooh and the “Owl and the Pussycat” by Edward Lear, to Hedwig, Harry Potter’s owl.
- In western culture, Owls are normally associated with wisdom, but in many other cultures, they are considered a bad omen.
Click on the title above the owl image you would like to download. A higher-resolution picture of the owl will open as a new window in your browser. If you then click on that image with your mouse, you can save the owl illustration to your hard drive.
An illustration showing you how to draw three different types of owls. The owl drawings are from a French book, “Les animaux tels qu’ils sont” (animals as they are), by Robert Lambry and Léon Lambry, 1930.
A beautiful illustration from the Library of Congress 1872. I love the floral boarder.
“The Owls Serenade”, 1894 sheet music cover. The sheet music was published by Petrie Music Co, Chicago. From the Library at Duke University.
German Owls from the book “Deutschlands Fauna” published in 1839.
A Snowy owl drawing from “Illustrations of the American Ornithology of Alexander Wilson and Charles Lucian Bonaparte” was published in 1835.
Snowy owls are artic birds and one of the largest species of owl. It is the only owl with predominantly white plumage. Harry Potter’s owl Hedwig is a female snowy owl.
Four owl illustrations from the “Edinburgh journal of natural history and of the physical sciences“, 1835.
The owls illustrated include a Virginian Horned Owl, Long-Eared Owl and Mottled Owl.
Another collection of four owl drawings from the “Edinburgh Journal of natural history and the physical sciences“, 1835.
The first owl is a boreal owl or Tengmalm’s owl, a small shy owl that is rarely seen by people.
A lovely drawing of an Oriental Bay Owl from the Iconographia Zoologica collection at the University of Amsterdam.
Another vintage owl from the Iconographia Zoologica.
Little Owl drawing by John Gould, from “The Birds of Great Britain” published: London 1873.
The spotted eagle-owl also known as the African eagle-owl is a medium-sized species of owl, one of the smallest of the eagle owls.
The print is from “Nouveau recueil de planches coloriées d’oiseaux“, 1838 by F.G. Levrault et al.
A painting of the Great Horned Owl by George Edwards and from the Iconographia Zoologica collection.
Five species of American Owls from the “Illustrations of the American ornithology of Alexander Wilson and Charles Lucian Bonaparte” 1835.
The owls illustrations include, a Hawk Owl, Barred Owl, Barn Owl, Little Owl and Burrowing Owl.
More species of American Owls from the “Illustrations of the American ornithology of Alexander Wilson and Charles Lucian Bonaparte” 1835.
A Boreal Owl (Tengmalm’s Owl) with a mouse, drawing by John Gould, from “The Birds of Great Britain” published: London 1873.
There is another Gould owl print available to download with these vintage bird wood slice ornaments.
A delightful Japanese painting of an Eagle Owl in a magnolia tree by Kubo Shunman. The Japanese woodblock print is from the collection at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
Another delightful little Japanese woodblock painting of an owl. Scops Owl, Cherry Blossoms, and full Moon, woodblock print, ink and colour on paper by Ohara Koson.
Owl drawing by Mark Catesby from “Catesby Natural History of Carolina“, published in 1731.
Painting by Thomas Watling 1790. The original is at the National Museum of Victoria in Australia.
An drawing of a Little Horned Owl from “Indian Zoology” published in 1790.
Another vintage owl illustration from the Iconographia Zoologica – Special Collections University of Amsterdam.
Another vintage owl illustration from the Iconographia Zoologica – Special Collections University of Amsterdam.
A beautiful print of a Great Grey Owl from the “Birds of America” by John James Audubon.
This owl featured in the collection of vintage woodland animal illustrations.
Another lovely drawing of a great horned owl from the collection at the Library of Congress, from 1874.
A pair of owls perched in pine trees, from Martin Gerlach’s vintage plant art book “Die Pflanze in Kunst und Gewerbe” 1886.
A pair of owls perched in blossoming trees by the Japanese artist Kono Bairei.
I hope you enjoyed these owl drawings, illustrations and paintings. There is a printable vintage owl board game here.
Don’t forget to check out the many other vintage bird prints on Pictureboxblue. These include other iconic species of birds, such as penguins, toucans, herons, flamingos, hummingbirds and my personal favourite cockatoos.
There are also the beautiful bird naturalist prints of George Shaw and the bird identification posters of Adolphe Millot.
Owls are often associated with Halloween; for more spooky inspiration, check out the creepy vintage spider prints.
How to Draw an Australian Masked Owl
In this quick tutorial you’ll learn how to draw an Australian Masked Owl in 7 easy steps – great for kids and novice artists.
The images above represent how your finished drawing is going to look and the steps involved.
Below are the individual steps – you can click on each one for a High Resolution printable PDF version.
At the bottom you can read some interesting facts about the Australian Masked Owl.
Make sure you also check out any of the hundreds of drawing tutorials grouped by category.
How to Draw an Australian Masked Owl – Step-by-Step Tutorial
Print Tutorial
Step 1: The Australian Masked Owl is a nocturnal bird that lives in Australia. That means it comes out at night! To start, draw an upside down ‘U’ for the head and a rounded heart shape for the face.
Print Tutorial
Step 2: Add two small circles for the eyes, and an upside down triangle for the beak.
Print Tutorial
Step 3: Draw a narrow V shape for the back, and a long line sloping down and back for the chest and belly.
Print Tutorial
Step 4: Add in the wings. The owl has lots of thin feathers that help it stay quiet when it swoops down on its prey. They like to eat mice and other small rodents.
Print Tutorial
Step 5: Draw one of the owl’s legs. They are short and narrow, with long curving talons for its ‘fingers’. These short claws help it catch its food.
Print Tutorial
Step 6: Draw another leg, this time in front of the first one.
Print Tutorial
Step 7: Add a couple of small feathers for the owl’s tail and you’re done! The Australian Masked Owl is a light brown color with dark speckles or spots. Its heart shaped face is white and looks like a mask, hence its name. Owls are very quiet when they sneak up on their prey; can you sneak up on someone without them knowing?
Interesting Facts about Australian Masked Owls
Australian masked owls are members of the family Tytonidae, or barn owls. They are called “masked” because their face looks as if it is covered by a white heart-shaped mask. These birds are native to Southern New Guinea and, of course, Australia.
Did you know?
- Once it has established its own territory, the Australian masked owl usually lives there for the rest of its life, even if food becomes scarce.
- They are about 12 inches long and weigh about 23 ounces.
- Like most owls, they are nocturnal (active at night). They hunt at night for their food, which is usually reptiles, small birds, insects, and mice. In the 1800s, they were called mouse owls because they caught mice on people’s properties.
- They are endangered in some Australian states.
There is no set breeding season for Australian masked owls. Females usually lay three eggs at a time. The father gathers food for the nesting mother until the eggs hatch. The eggs are kept warm in nests that are built in bushes or shrubs near the ground, or high up in the hollows of trees. The newborns are able to fly after three months. A few weeks after mastering this skill, they start to take care of themselves.
An Owl at Sea
The extraordinary, true story of an owl stranded on the deck of an oil rig one hundred miles from shore, and the Good Samaritans who shepherded it home. This is the true story of a Short-eared Owl that plummeted onto the deck of an oil rig in the North Sea, one hundred miles from shore. Weak and tired, it huddled on the deck until riggers provided it with a makeshift shelter and fresh meat to eat. When a helicopter arrived to transport some of the workers back home, they took the owl with them, handing it over to the Scottish SPCA. A few weeks later the owl was strong enough to be released into the countryside. Susan Vande Griek’s gentle prose poem describes this unusual encounter with a creature from the wild with curiosity and wonder. Ian Wallace’s stunning watercolors show gorgeous seascapes, the subtle beauty of the owl, and the oil rig and its workers, creating compelling visual contrasts. An author’s note includes information about the Short-eared Owl, a bird found in the Americas, Europe and Asia, whose numbers may be in decline due to loss of habitat. Key Text Features
author’s note
further reading
sources Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4
Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.5
Explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information, drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3
Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.4
Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.7
Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.
The extraordinary, true story of an owl stranded on the deck of an oil rig one hundred miles from shore, and the Good Samaritans who shepherded it home.
This is the true story of a Short-eared Owl that plummeted onto the deck of an oil rig in the North Sea, one hundred miles from shore. Weak and tired, it huddled on the deck until riggers provided it with a makeshift shelter and fresh meat to eat. When a helicopter arrived to transport some of the workers back home, they took the owl with them, handing it over to the Scottish SPCA. A few weeks later the owl was strong enough to be released into the countryside.
Susan Vande Griek’s gentle prose poem describes this unusual encounter with a creature from the wild with curiosity and wonder. Ian Wallace’s stunning watercolors show gorgeous seascapes, the subtle beauty of the owl, and the oil rig and its workers, creating compelling visual contrasts.
An author’s note includes information about the Short-eared Owl, a bird found in the Americas, Europe and Asia, whose numbers may be in decline due to loss of habitat.
Key Text Features
author’s note
further reading
sources
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4
Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.5
Explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information, drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3
Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.4
Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.7
Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — May 1, 2019 |
| Specifications | 32 pages | 11 in x 9 in |
| Keywords | sources; |
SUSAN VANDE GRIEK is the author of several highly acclaimed children’s books. Her picture book Loon, illustrated by Karen Reczuch, was named a USBBY Outstanding International Book and won the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award and the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction, among others. She has also written Go Home Bay, illustrated by Pascal Milelli, about the artist Tom Thomson, and An Owl at Sea, illustrated by Ian Wallace. Susan lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
IAN WALLACE is one of Canada’s best-known children’s book creators. He has published many classics, including Boy of the Deeps and Chin Chiang and the Dragon’s Dance. His illustrations for Canadian Railroad Trilogy and Just So Stories have each received three starred reviews. His most recent book is The Curiosity Cabinet.
Ian has won the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award, the Mr. Christie’s Book Award and the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award, among others. He has been nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the Governor General’s Award and the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award.
Ian lives in Brookline, Massachusetts, with his wife, Deb.
SUSAN VANDE GRIEK is the author of several highly acclaimed children’s books. Her picture book Loon, illustrated by Karen Reczuch, was named a USBBY Outstanding International Book and won the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award and the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction, among others. She has also written Go Home Bay, illustrated by Pascal Milelli, about the artist Tom Thomson, and An Owl at Sea, illustrated by Ian Wallace. Susan lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
IAN WALLACE is one of Canada’s best-known children’s book creators. He has published many classics, including Boy of the Deeps and Chin Chiang and the Dragon’s Dance. His illustrations for Canadian Railroad Trilogy and Just So Stories have each received three starred reviews. His most recent book is The Curiosity Cabinet.
Ian has won the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award, the Mr. Christie’s Book Award and the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award, among others. He has been nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the Governor General’s Award and the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award.
Ian lives in Brookline, Massachusetts, with his wife, Deb.
| Audience | ages 6 to 9 / grades 1 to 4 |
| Reading Levels | Fountas & Pinnel Text Level O Lexile NP Guided Reading O |
| Key Text Features | author’s note; further reading; sources |
| Common Core | CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.4 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.7 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.5 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.5 |
“A quietly engaging picture book.” —Booklist
“This home-away-home story takes flight with its poetic text and a few extraordinary seascape illustrations.” —Kirkus Reviews
