“The owl is the wisest of all birds, because the more it sees the less it talks.”
You’ve probably heard the phrase “wise old owl” quite often in movies, TV shows, and books. While they might not be the brightest of birds, they sure are majestic birds, and can fly as fast as 40 miles per hour!
If you find yourself fascinated by these night birds of the wild, you may want to look into expanding your knowledge of these creatures. Or maybe your kid is fascinated by Harry Potter’s owl, Hedwig, and wants to learn more about these birds. Nevertheless, choosing a book is a difficult task as there are quite a few books on owls to be found.
This article will give you a breakdown of the best owl books that you should have on your bookshelf. So without further ado, let’s dive right into it.
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Check Amazon- 32 pages.
- Recommended for readers ages 6 through 10.
- Details a number of facts about owls.
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Check Amazon- 528 pages.
- A photographic identification guide covering 268 owl species.
- Written by Heimo Mikkola, one of the world's foremost owl experts.
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Check Amazon- 208 pages.
- Contains 200 images of owls and owl behavior.
- Covers owl behavior through their four distinct stages of life.
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Check Amazon- 120 pages.
- Customers recommend this book for readers 5 and older.
- Covers 19 species of owl in North America, put together by wildlife photojournalist and nature educator, Mark Wilson.
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Check Amazon- 32 pages.
- Customers recommend this book for children ages 2 through 9.
- A National Geographic Readers publication, as part of a series of 43 books.
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-
Check Amazon- 32 pages.
- Customers recommend this book for readers ages 5 through 9.
- Filled with illustrations, language appropriate for younger readers, and a page dedicated to trivia.
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Check Amazon- 288 pages.
- Offers details on 53 different species of owl, with accompanying photographs.
A-Z-Animals’ Top Picks for the Best Books About Owls
#1 Best Overall: Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls by Annette Whipple
Are you looking for a book to answer all of your eight-year-old’s questions about owls? Whoo Knew? The Truth About Owls answers questions such as, “How do owls see in the dark?,” “How can they turn their head around to 270 degrees?,” and “Why do they randomly puke out selective pellets from their food?”
This children’s book is packed with infographics and interactive short texts on each page touching a particular topic about owls. Annette Whipple, an educator and author, wrote the book. She writes children’s books to answer all of their curious little questions. The author has a special interest in owls because they were her grandmother’s favorite animal. Your child will learn about everything they wish to know about owls via a uniquely interactive question-and-answer format. There are answers on owl diet, habitat, vision, appearance, and more.
This book is geared toward reading age seven through 10. It’s available in hardcover picture book and paperback formats.
Pros and Cons of Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls by Annette Whipple
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This children’s book is filled with facts, infographics, and interactive short texts about owls. | None |
| The author, Annette Whipple is an educator who strives to answer children’s questions. | |
| Your child will learn about owls’ diet, habitat, vision, appearance, and more. | |
| This book is geared toward reading age seven through 10 and it’s available in hardcover picture book and paperback formats. |
- 32 pages.
- Recommended for readers ages 6 through 10.
- Details a number of facts about owls.
2. Owls of the World: A Photographic Guide by Heimo Mikkola
This book is your very own animal journal, solely based on owls. A rather long read with half a thousand pages, this book has been recommended by several journals and libraries, including Library Journal, Booklist, and Wildlife Afield Journal. In fact, Library Journal even named Owls of The World: A Photographic Guide the Best Reference of 2012.
This book is loaded with over 750 diverse photographs that are used to help inform the reader about owls. Owls of the World: A Photographic Guide was written by the world’s most notable owl expert, Heimo Mikkola. Dr. Mikkola is associated with the University of Eastern Finland, Helsinki, and is known for having traveled across 128 different countries over the past 40 years, journaling on all 249 species of owls. This book summarizes his findings, with all the complex details penned down as simply as possible. Therefore, while this may be a tedious read for some, it’s the most well-structured book for an avid owl enthusiast.
This book is available in the following formats: Kindle edition with audio/video, hardcover, and paperback.
Pros and Cons of Owls of the World: A Photographic Guide by Heimo Mikkola
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book has 528 pages and has been recommended by Library Journal, Booklist, and Wildlife Afield Journal. | None |
| It features over 750 photographs. | |
| Over the past 40 years, author Dr. Heimo Mikkola, has traveled to 128 countries to journal all 249 species of owls. | |
| This book may be a tedious read for some, but it’s the most comprehensive book for owl enthusiasts. | |
| This book is available in the following formats: Kindle edition with audio/video, hardcover, and paperback. |
- 528 pages.
- A photographic identification guide covering 268 owl species.
- Written by Heimo Mikkola, one of the world's foremost owl experts.
3. Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls by Paul Bannick
Chock full of 200 dramatic images of owl species that inhabit North America, this book is a photo journal on how owls live throughout the four stages of their lives. Owls are birds that camouflage well with their living environment. Paul Bannick did an outstanding job photographing them when they are hiding. This type of book will appeal to the reader visually and teach them everything there is to know about spotting an owl of a specific species, be it the Northern Pygmy-Owl, great gray owl, burrowing owl, or snowy owl.
This title is only available in hardcover format. A couple of reviewers said that the photos are great but the text is poorly written.
Pros and Cons of Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls by Paul Bannick
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book is filled with 200 dramatic images of North American owls. | It’s only available in hardcover format. |
| It’s a photo journal of how owls live throughout the four stages of their lives. | A couple of reviewers said that the photos are great but the text is poorly written. |
| It will provide readers with insights to spotting owls of specific species. |
- 208 pages.
- Contains 200 images of owls and owl behavior.
- Covers owl behavior through their four distinct stages of life.
4. Owling: Enter the World of the Mysterious Birds of the Night by Mark Wilson
Another book for your owl-curious younglings, Owling: Enter the World of the Mysterious Birds of the Night is a book by Amazon’s bestselling author, Mark Wilson. The Australian author has a unique passion for animals and the environment and has won five Royal Zoological Society (Whitley) Awards for children’s literature, 11 CBCA Children’s Book Awards, and three Wilderness Society Picture Book Awards. Therefore, his owl journal listing 19 species of the bird is more than worthy of making it to your shortlist of owl books to read out loud to your kid. It is a comparatively detailed read for a children’s book with 120 pages total, so this book isn’t for younger children with a lower reading level. Regardless, it will equip your mini-me with everything about owl spotting.
This book is appropriate for kids ages five and up and is available in Kindle and hardcover formats.
Pros and Cons of Owling: Enter the World of the Mysterious Birds of the Night by Mark Wilson
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This children’s book is by Amazon’s bestselling author Mark Wilson, who has won five Royal Zoological Society (Whitley) Awards for children’s literature, 11 CBCA Children’s Book Awards, and three Wilderness Society Picture Book Awards. | None |
| This 120-page owl journal lists 19 species of owls. | |
| This book is appropriate for kids ages five and up and is available in Kindle and hardcover formats. |
- 120 pages.
- Customers recommend this book for readers 5 and older.
- Covers 19 species of owl in North America, put together by wildlife photojournalist and nature educator, Mark Wilson.
5. National Geographic Readers: Owls by Laura Marsh
You have probably watched a National Geographic documentary at some point. Now imagine a National Geographic documentary organized into a series of adorable illustrations, more like a picture book. Laura Marsh has done just that with National Geographic Readers: Owls. Laura Marsh has published over 20 books as an author and editor, including a few as part of the National Geographic Readers line. So, instead of having your kid sit through long documentaries, you could have them read the book series, including this one!
Your kids will learn how owls raise their chicks, hunt, and defend themselves.
This title, which is intended for kids ages three through nine, is available in Kindle, library binding, and paperback formats. Two reviewers said that this book wasn’t very good (one said that it was “very babyish”).
Pros and Cons of National Geographic Readers: Owls by Laura Marsh
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This children’s book was written by Laura Marsh, an author who has published over 20 books as an author and editor, including several for the National Geographic Readers series. | Two reviewers said that this book wasn’t very good (one said that it was “very babyish”). |
| It’s like a documentary on owls in book form and will teach your kids how these birds raise their babies, hunt, and defend themselves. | |
| This title, which is intended for kids ages three through nine, is available in Kindle, library binding, and paperback formats. |
- 32 pages.
- Customers recommend this book for children ages 2 through 9.
- A National Geographic Readers publication, as part of a series of 43 books.
6. Exploring the World of Owls by Tracy C. Read
Ever wonder how owls communicate? Are their hoots just random sounds escaping their beaks? And did you know there are 200 owl species worldwide, and only 19 of them live in North America? All this and more can be found in Tracy C. Read’s short, 24-page summary called Exploring the World of Owls. An author who takes a particular interest in nature and the environment, Tracy C. Read is known for her clear and concise writing and for systematically conveying her ideas. So, if you want to learn everything there is to know about owls, quick and dirty, this is your go-to book to read.
This book is available in hardcover picture book and paperback picture book formats and is intended for kids ages nine through 12. A few reviewers said that the book includes nice pictures but wasn’t informative enough or long enough.
Pros and Cons of Exploring the World of Owls by Tracy C. Read
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This 24-page book provides a quick overview of owls. | A few reviewers said that the book includes nice pictures but wasn’t informative enough or long enough. |
| Your child will learn about how owls communicate, how many species their are, and how many live in North America. | |
| This book is available in hardcover picture book and paperback picture book formats and is intended for kids ages nine through 12. |
7. Owls by Gail Gibbons
Did you know that nesting habits differ from owl species to species? Or that they rip right through the flesh of their prey while stabbing it to death with their sharp beak? Gail Gibbons taps into things we don’t know about an owl’s nocturnal lifestyle in this nonfiction picture book. The author covers their habitat, birth and development, the threats and predators they face, and their diet. More specifically, this book dives into how different species of owls differ from one another via detailed illustrations and appealing infographics for children.
The book is among several of the author’s bestselling books and has a spectacular 5-star rating with over 350 reviews. She has also bagged several awards, such as the Washington Post Children’s Book Guild Nonfiction Award and the NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book Award. Needless to say, your kid will find all the owl trivia that there is to know in just 32 pages!
This book is written for kids ages five through nine and is available in hardcover, illustrated paperback, and audiobook formats.
Pros and Cons of Owls by Gail Gibbons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This non-fiction picture book covers owls’ habitats, birth and development, threats and predators, and diet. | None |
| It also uses illustrations and infographics to show how owl species differ. | |
| This book has a 5-star rating. | |
| It’s geared toward kids ages five through nine and is available in hardcover, illustrated paperback, and audiobook formats. |
- 32 pages.
- Customers recommend this book for readers ages 5 through 9.
- Filled with illustrations, language appropriate for younger readers, and a page dedicated to trivia.
8. The Enigma of the Owl: An Illustrated Natural History by Mike Unwin (Author), David Tipling (Photographer), Tony Angell (Foreword)
The Enigma of the Owl is one of the few very detailed yet captivating books on owls. Mike Unwin wrote the book with unique photographs by David Tipling. Mike Unwin has studied the birds for years and describes the behavior, breeding patterns, diet, and cultural superstitions of various owl species.
In one way or another, the book celebrates wildlife and its chaos yet orderliness from an owl’s perspective. So, if you’re an animal lover looking for a piece of writing that captures the beauty of these animals, this is the book for you!
It’s available in illustrated hardcover format. Several reviewers said that the photos were beautiful but not printed well. One reviewer said that the book includes “minimal factual information.”
Pros and Cons of The Enigma of the Owl: An Illustrated Natural History by Mike Unwin (Author), David Tipling (Photographer), Tony Angell (Foreword)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| The author, Mike Unwin, has studied owls for years and describes the behavior, breeding patterns, diet, and cultural superstitions of various owl species. | It’s only available in illustrated hardcover format. |
| This book features stunning owl photographs by David Tipling. | Several reviewers said that the photos were beautiful but not printed well. |
| One reviewer said that the book includes “minimal factual information.” |
- 288 pages.
- Offers details on 53 different species of owl, with accompanying photographs.
Criteria: What To Look For In A Book About Owls
Here are the criteria we used when ranking these books.
Author Expertise
If you are purchasing a book about owls to learn more about the animal, it is essential that you find an expert author. Anyone can claim to be an expert on any topic, so do some research on the writer to ensure they know what they are talking about. The last thing you want is incorrect information.
Illustrations
Especially if you are purchasing a book for a child, it is a great idea to find a book with illustrations or unique photography. This helps to visualize the information and create a mental image of the birds you are reading about.
Research
Even if the author is a zoologist, you’ll want to ensure that they did the proper research on owls specifically before writing the book. Many of the books that we have listed above were researched thoroughly in and out of the field by the authors.
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