On 'Superb Owl Sunday,' Utah wildlife experts share the importance of such crucial birds

SALT LAKE CITY — Inevitably, some people trying to search online for information on the Super Bowl made the spelling mistake of moving the "b" and accidentally typing "superb owl."

And if they scroll past Google's "did you mean Super Bowl?" suggestion and look at the owl-related results, it helps raise some awareness about these birds of prey that are vital to the ecosystem.

On social media, bird lovers and wildlife organizations will even take advantage of the increase in "superb owl" keyword searches.

At Tracy Aviary in Salt Lake City, the staff works hard to educate the public about all sorts of birds — including some "superb" specimens of owls.

"Owls are really special birds," said Bryant Olsen. "They have a lot of unique adaption... A lot of people are really fond of owls."

As one of the aviary’s conservation ecologists, Olsen looks after both captive and wild owl populations, and he tries to raise awareness for conservation.

"I have the best job in the world," he said.

Just down the road at Utah's Hogle Zoo, they are also taking care of some superb feathery predators.

"We are celebrating 'superb owl day' because they are superb," said Tammy Walling, an animal care supervisor at the zoo. "Owls are really, really important."

Walling also works to help the public appreciate owls more.

"I think people have a sort of misconception about owls anyway, because they think every owl is out there just 'hoo'-ing, and they don't realize how important they are to the environment," she said.

One thing they help with is natural pest and insect control — keeping rodents out of our homes and keeping disease-carrying pests away.

But many people are wary of them — that's where Apollo comes into play.

The western screech owl is an ambassador animal at Hogle Zoo.

"I think no one can deny that this is an adorable face," trainer Autumn Henry said, adding with a laugh: "Birders flock to see them."

Apollo's cute face and those big eyes help teach Utahns about these important creatures.

He was recently taken to the Utah State Capitol for STEM Day because of owls' excellent sense of hearing, Henry said.

But it's important that people don't mistake these animals for pets.

"He was abducted from his nest and they tried to keep him as a pet for a while," Henry said. "This is not a good pet. It is also illegal."

"Many owls are very sensitive to disturbance from human activity," Olsen added.

So, there’s still more work to do in educating the public — especially because of the ongoing avian flu.

"They're predators, and so they're opportunists," Olsen said. "And in the case of avian influenza, they're susceptible to it."

"Owls see that dead animal or dying animal and think: 'Easy meal,'" Henry explained.

That's why each typo calling these owls "superb" helps their mission.

"We're always trying to get the message out for conservation," Olsen said.

"It might seem silly to some people, but others really do forget about animals like owls that you don't see that often," Henry added.

"I think anything that brings someone's attention to an animal you wouldn't have been thinking about in February," Walling said.

"I think it's a good thing," Olsen said.

So next time you hear a hoot, remember to give a hoot.

"They're really worthy of protecting and really worthy about caring about," Walling said.

"We want to preserve those experiences for future generations," Olsen said.