Today we celebrate the nocturnal birds that are a real hoot.

Owls are a remarkable group of birds, with unique adaptations to hunting in the dark. Huge eyes, offset ears, and frayed flight feathers make darkness their ally, as they see and hear prey, then swoop in silently. Australia is home to a range of owls, whose hunts have helped keep ecosystems in balance for millennia.

Be aware if you use Second-generation Anticoagulant rat poisons (SGARs) for rat or mouse control though.  The toxins in SGARs can build up in birds of prey which feed on rats and mice.

Scientists have uncovered alarming levels of SGAR poison in Aussie birds, with one BirdLife study finding over 60% of Powerful Owl livers tested showing levels of SGAR-poisoning that would cause impairment or death.