TALONS

All owls have relatively long legs and large, powerful feet which are
equipped with fearsome talons. It is these that enable the bird to capture,
kill and rip their prey apart. The grip and the piercing bite of the talons
are often enough to deliver a fatal blow to the victim.

A Tawny Owl carries a rabbit back to its nest in its talons.
Owls possess four toes on their feet. Under normal circumstances three
usually point forward and one points to the rear. To enhance the prey-
capturing capability of the feet, the outer toe can be reversed. When
perching, one of the forward-facing toes can be reversed to provide
better stability.

A Screech Owl

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