Owl Owl 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,
British Birds Rarities Committee existed in Scotland. In 2009, this species was removed, along with white-billed diver and cattle egret. Once removed, a species is classed as a "scarce migrant": "British Birds" publishes a separate annual report summarising the occurrence of these species, and the data is also presented on the Scarce Migrants website. In addition to parrot crossbill, four species, Cetti's warbler, little egret, long-tailed skua and Mediterranean gull, have become so common that they no longer qualify even as scarce migrants. The committee has ten voting members, a chairman (who may be one of the ten, or may be another, non-voting individual)