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Owl Temporal range: Late Paleocene to recent 60–0 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Eastern barn owl(Tyto javanica stertens) Mangaon, Maharashtra, India
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Clade:	Afroaves
Order:	Strigiformes Wagler, 1830
Families
Strigidae Tytonidae Ogygoptyngidae (fossil) Palaeoglaucidae (fossil) Protostrigidae (fossil) Sophiornithidae (fossil)
Range of the owl, all species.
Synonyms
Strigidae sensu Sibley & Ahlquist

Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes, which includes about 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers adapted for silent flight. Exceptions include the diurnal northern hawk-owl and the gregarious burrowing owl.

Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish. They are found in all regions of the Earth except polar ice caps and some remote islands.

Owls are divided into two families: the true (or typical) owl family, Strigidae, and the barn-owl family, Tytonidae.