Owls are a bird-type that usually live and hunt alone. Some owls can see well enough in sunlight to hunt by day as well as by night; however, the majority of owl species hunt for food at night.
Most night-hunting owls have keen vision in the dark; however, some have such sensitive hearing that they rely very little on vision. These owls locate and catch mice, voles, and other small mammals in total darkness by listening to the rustling noise the animals make running through the forest.
Owls eat mostly mammals. The larger owls catch rabbits and squirrels, and the smaller ones catch mice, rats, and shrews. Some owls also hunt a few birds and insects; others have been known to take fish from shallow waters. Like hawks, owls tear large prey into pieces when they eat it. If the prey is small enough, they swallow it whole. They later cough up pellets of undigested bones, fur, scales, and feathers.
There are about 162 different species of owls alive today, inhabiting a huge variety of ecological niches, from rainforests to tundra. They are found throughout the tropical, temperate, and subarctic regions of the world and on many oceanic islands.