Caring for your Owl

The best way to encourage your owl to stick around is to build it a house. Plans and materials for owl boxes and nests are available at many online sites. Consider covering the roof in felt for extra protection.

Owl lingo: A group of owls is called a parliament. A group of snowy owls (like your Kenyon owl) is often called a blizzard. An owl aviary is called a mews.

While it is illegal to keep owls as pets in most countries, we strongly encourage you to care for your Kenyon owl. Try singing to it.

Owls in the wild don't like to be petted and cuddled, but your Kenyon owl is very friendly and enjoys a good tickle.

Let your Kenyon owl roam freely through the pages of books to discover its favorite habitats.

Did you know . . .

That Kenyon has a longstanding connection with owls:

• Our local river, the Kokosing, takes its name from a Native American word meaning "place of owls." The Kokosing is 57.2 miles long and has been designated an Ohio scenic river. Bring your inner tube, kayak, or canoe and float gently down the stream.

• One of the most beloved College songs is "Kokosing Farewell," sung by students at Freshman Sing and again on the day before Commencement.

• Kenyon's oldest a cappella singing group, the all-male Kokosingers, or Kokes, pay tribute to "the place of owls" with their name.

• So does the all-female a cappella group The Owl Creeks, founded 1975.

• You can pursue research on local owls at Kenyon's Brown Family Environmental Center (BFEC). Last winter the BFEC produced a special program on the twelve species of owls recorded in Ohio. Guest speaker Gary Moore, formerly of The Nature Conservancy, shared his knowledge of the so-called "ghosts of the forest" and led a hike along the Kokosing River in search of barred owls.

• A native species found among the Kenyon student population is the Night Owl, a segment of the student body that stays up into the wee hours, performing activities ranging from band practice and pot throwing to stargazing and jigsaw puzzling. Oh, and studying. And having deep conversations. Learn more about them in the Kenyon College Alumni Bulletin's 2007 photoessay, "Night Owls."