1. A Winged Wonder By Mrs. Hanline (Example)

2. What Am I? I am 12 inches tall and my wings are 36 inches long. My upper body is golden tan and my underbody is as white as the clouds in the sky. My coloring carefully camouflages me whether I’m in the sky or on land. My white heart-shaped face and my shrieking and hissing sounds often lead people to confuse me with a ghost.

3. What Am I? I can eat up to four tasty rodents a night. I especially like “whole voles.” My soundless flight and hearing help me locate every meal. I can even catch my prey in total darkness. Did you know that my ears are not found on top of my head? They are located right behind my eyes, and one is higher than the other. For a creature with “hard-to- see” ears, I sure do have a keen sense of hearing.

4. What Am I? You can find me on every continent except Antarctica. I like to live in places with open countryside. My preference is to dwell in old buildings, trees, or caves. I am happiest here.

5. What Am I? I lay 3-6 eggs every year. (Sometimes twice a year!) I am full-grown at only 10 weeks old. What Am I?............

6. I am a…… Barn Owl! (tyto alba)

7. Additional Resources  Other Interesting Facts: On average a barn owl eats 4 small rodents each night….1,460 per year! Barn owls have even been recorded catching 60 mice per hour! The oldest recorded wild barn owl in North America lived to be 11 years, 6 months.

8. Sources  http://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/infopage. html?Id=3 http://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/infopage. html?Id=3  http://www.wildwnc.org/education/nest- box/barn-owl?searchterm=Barn http://www.wildwnc.org/education/nest- box/barn-owl?searchterm=Barn  http://www.carolinaraptorcenter.org/barn _owl.php  http://www.owlpages.com/owls.php?genu s=Tyto&species=alba