A spotted eagle owl closes one eye in Botswana's Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Fotofeeling/Westend61/Corbis
The many species of owl across the world are amazing. They're exciting! They're fantastic! They're charming! Now that bird is one superb owl. For some reason, though, we're seeing the Twitter and Instagram hashtag #SuperbOwl and #SuperbOwlSunday taken over by some pro sporting event. Not sure what that's all about. Regardless, check out these birds! They're truly, well ... you know.
Two owlets on a branch.
moodboard/Corbis
The Eurasian eagle-owl's scientific name is Bubo bubo.
Michael Zuche/Corbis
Male North American saw-whet owl can make rhythmic tooting songs for hours on end during mating season.
John Conrad/CORBIS
The short-eared owl's scientific name is Asso flammeus, meaning "fiery."
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Great horned owls can't turn their heads completely around, but they can rotate their necks about 270 degrees.
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This little owl (Athene noctua) hunts) was photographed in Hungary with a fresh catch of mammalian prey.
Bence Mate/Visuals Unlimited/Corbis
The tawny owl (Strix aluco) often claims favorite branches from which to hunt, returning to the same spot multiple times.
Paul Sawer/Frank Lane Picture Library/Corbis
Owls belong to the order Strigiformes, and there are around 220 separately identified species.
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This great gray owl (Strix nebulosa) was photographed in Kuusamo, Finland.
George McCarthy/Corbis
Less than 10 percent of owls belong to the barn owl family Tytonidae, with the rest, like this South African giant eagle owl photographed closing its eyes, categorized in the family Strigidae.
Peter Johnson/Corbis
Screech owlets, like the four pictured here, are found in North America and usually hatch around late March to early April.
Ron Austing/FLPA/Corbis
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