Durand Library presents ‘Owls: the Stuff of Legends and Myths’

    Everyone is cordially invited to join the Durand Library on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 10 a.m. to learn about owls. Most people don’t get to see owls in person, but nevertheless people still love them and are fascinated by these extraordinary birds.

    Dr. James Giocomo, the Central Region Director for the American Bird Conservancy, will be the speaker. Dr. Giocomo is based in Durand and works to plan and build bird conservation efforts across the Great Plains from Texas in the south, to Montana and Canada in the north, and LL over Illinois and Wisconsin. He holds a Ph.D. in Natural Resources from the University of Tennessee.

    Of the 19 species of owls found in North America, Illinois is home to eight of them, with a ninth species making frequent visits. Owls prey on small rodents and other small prey and thus are beneficial to man. Dr. Giocomo will discuss each species’ life history and conservation as well as when and where to look for them in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin.

    Autumn is an especially good time to learn about owls. Soon the leaves will fall off the trees and make it easier to spot an owl, as they can sometimes be seen dozing on a branch during the day. The snowy owl will also soon be arriving to spend the winter in state. Illinois owls range in size from the snowy owl, weighing five pounds or more, to other species, weighing less than a pound.

    Owls have figured in the Halloween legends of ghosts and ghouls for centuries. With their piercing eyes and silent flight in the dark, they were frightening to early people. The Romans were obsessed with owls and believed that they could predict the outcome of battles, and that their appearance was a bad omen.

    Despite their association with the dark side, the owl is credited with being wise. In fact, the owl found a more pleasing place in popular culture in the 1920s when a man whose last name was Wise used the bird as a symbol for his very popular potato chips. The Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena, also had the owl as her symbol. People have been fascinated with owls for centuries.

    Please stop by the library on Oct 14 to hear this most informative talk and learn more about the real owl, how they live, where they live and why people should be glad to have them.

    All programs at the Durand Library are free and open to everyone. Residents of the Durand School District can check out materials, which include nonfiction and fiction works for all ages, digitized Durand newspapers from the late 1800s, DVDs, and STEM quality toys. Library hours are 9 a.m. to noon.

    Please enter at the east, or playground end, of the school building. The members of the Friends of the Durand Library maintain the Saturday morning hours to make the collection available to the public. For more information, please email [email protected] or call 815-289-8602.