鸮又称猫头鹰、枭，是夜行性鸟类，大多数种类几乎专以鼠类为食，是重要的益鸟。由于它们的外貌丑陋，叫声凄厉，给人以恐怖的感觉，因而招致一些人的厌恶，甚至有一些迷信传说，认为它是不吉利的鸟，其实都是不正确的。从它给人们带来的巨大益处来说，应该大力保护才对。
我国常见的种类有红角鸮、雕鸮、鸺鶹（xiu liu）、长耳鸮和短耳鸮。
红角鸮（Otus scops）是一种小型鸮类，比鸽子还小一些，上体褐色，有黑色和黄褐色斑；后头部有黄白色斑，下体淡褐色有暗褐纵纹，头上有两簇小型耳羽。栖于山地、林中深处，平时昼伏夜出，嗜食昆虫。遍布我国东北、河北、陕西、甘肃等地，为留鸟。
雕鸮（Bubo bubo）是大型鸮类，体长约半米，体褐色，有黑斑纹，耳羽甚长，尾短、翼宽；下体有黑纵斑，胸部斑比腹部斑宽大。留居于东北、河北及山西等地。
鸺鶹（Glaucidium cuculoides）是我国南方普遍分布的一种小型鸮类，它的整个上体以棕褐色为主，密布有狭细的棕白色横斑；翅及尾羽黑褐色，在尾羽上有六条鲜明的白色横带，头部不具耳羽，这些特征使它很容易与红角鸮区别开来。鸺鶹是昼夜活动，因而白天在林中也很容易遇到它，为我国南方留鸟。主要以昆虫为食，也吃鼠类及青蛙等。
长耳鸮（Asio otus)上体黄褐色，有密集的黑褐色斑，下体淡色有黑褐色纵斑，耳羽长。栖于低山地带，平原森林中，白天很少活动，黄昏后飞出觅食，以小型兽类和昆虫、小鸟为食，分布于我国东北、西北、新疆等地。对农业有益。
短耳鸮（Asio flammeus）与长耳鸮外形十分相似，但比长耳鸮色较淡，下体淡色有十字形黑褐色纹，耳羽较小。栖于平原、耕地、草原等地，昼间常可见于平原或沼泽地带，平时潜伏于草丛间，夜间觅食；以啮齿类为主，白天以昆虫为食。繁殖于我国北方，越冬时刻遍及全国。对农业有益。
全球的猫头鹰种类名称：
Tytonidae: Barn and Grass Owls 草鸮科
Tyto tenebricosa Greater Sooty-Owl or Sooty Owl 乌草鸮
Tyto multipunctata Lesser Sooty-Owl 小乌草鸮
Tyto inexspectata Minahassa Masked-Owl 米纳草鸮
Tyto nigrobrunnea Taliabu Masked-Owl or Taliabu Owl
Tyto sororcula Lesser Masked-Owl
Tyto manusi Manus Masked-Owl
Tyto aurantia Bismarck Masked-Owl 橘仓鸮
Tyto novaehollandiae Australian Masked-Owl or Masked Owl 大草鸮
Tyto castanops Tasmanian Masked-Owl
Tyto rosenbergii Sulawesi Owl 苏拉仓鸮
Tyto soumagnei Madagascar Red Owl 马岛草鸮
Tyto alba Barn Owl 仓鸮
Tyto glaucops Ashy-faced Owl 灰脸草鸮
Tyto capensis African Grass-Owl or Grass Owl [非洲]草鸮
Tyto longimembris Eastern Grass-Owl 东方草鸮
Phodilus prigoginei Congo Bay-Owl 非洲栗鸮
Phodilus badius Oriental Bay-Owl 栗鸮
Strigidae: Typical Owls 鸱鸮科
Otus sagittatus White-fronted Scops-Owl 白额角鸮
Otus rufescens Reddish Scops-Owl 红角鸮
Otus icterorhynchus Sandy Scops-Owl 沙角鸮
Otus ireneae Sokoke Scops-Owl 肯尼亚角鸮
Otus balli Andaman Scops-Owl 安达曼角鸮
Otus spilocephalus Mountain Scops-Owl 黄嘴角鸮
Otus umbra Simeulue Scops-Owl 栗角鸮
Otus angelinae Javan Scops-Owl 爪哇角鸮
Otus manadensis Sulawesi Scops-Owl 苏拉角鸮
Otus longicornis Luzon Scops-Owl 吕宋角鸮
Otus mindorensis Mindoro Scops-Owl 民都洛角鸮
Otus mirus Mindanao Scops-Owl 棉兰老角鸮
Otus hartlaubi Sao Tome Scops-Owl 圣多美角鸮
Otus brucei Pallid Scops-Owl 纵纹角鸮
Otus flammeolus Flammulated Owl 花彩角鸮
Otus scops Common or Eurasian Scops-Owl 普通角鸮/红角鸮
Otus elegans Elegant Scops-Owl 兰屿角鸮
Otus mantananensis Mantanani Scops-Owl
Otus magicus Moluccan Scops-Owl 摩鹿加角鸮
Otus rutilus Malagasy Scops-Owl 马岛角鸮
Otus pauliani Comoro Scops-Owl 科摩罗角鸮
Otus brookii Rajah Scops-Owl 苏门角鸮
Otus bakkamoena Indian Scops-Owl 领角鸮
Otus mentawi Mentawai Scops-Owl 明达威角鸮
Otus fuliginosus Palawan Scops-Owl 巴拉旺角鸮
Otus megalotis Philippine Scops-Owl 菲律宾角鸮
Otus silvicola Wallace's Scops-Owl 华氏角鸮
Otus leucotis White-faced Scops-Owl 白脸角鸮
Otus kennicottii Western Screech-Owl 西部鸣角鸮
Otus asio Eastern Screech-Owl 东部鸣角鸮
Otus trichopsis Whiskered Screech-Owl 须角鸮
Otus choliba Tropical Screech-Owl 热带鸣角鸮
Otus koepckeae Koepcke's Screech-Owl
Otus roboratus West Peruvian Screech-Owl 猛鸣角鸮
Otus clarkii Bare-shanked Screech-Owl 裸胫鸣角鸮
Otus barbarus Bearded Screech-Owl 须鸣角鸮
Otus ingens Rufescent Screech-Owl 大鸣角鸮
Otus huberi Cloud-forest Screech-Owl 云林鸣角鸮
Otus watsonii Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl 茶腹鸣角鸮
Otus atricapillus Variable Screech-Owl 杂色鸣角鸮/长簇鸣角鸮
Otus vermiculatus Vermiculated Screech-Owl
Otus sanctaecatarinae Long-tufted Screech-Owl 长簇鸣角鸮
Otus lawrencii Bare-legged Owl or Cuban Screech-Owl裸腿角鸮
Otus nudipes Puerto Rican Screech-Owl 珠眉鸣角鸮
Otus podarginus Palau Owl 帕劳角鸮
Otus albogularis White-throated Screech-Owl 白喉角鸮
Mimizuku gurneyi Lesser or Mindanao Eagle-Owl 小雕鸮
Bubo virginianus Great Horned Owl 大雕鸮
Bubo bubo Eurasian Eagle-Owl 雕鸮
Bubo bengalensis Rock Eagle-Owl 岩雕鸮
Bubo ascalaphus Pharaoh Eagle-Owl 法老雕鸮
Bubo capensis Cape Eagle-Owl 海角雕鸮
Bubo africanus Spotted Eagle-Owl 点斑雕鸮
Bubo poensis Fraser's Eagle-Owl 弗雷氏雕鸮
Bubo vosseleri Usambara Eagle-Owl 乌桑雕鸮
Bubo nipalensis Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl 林雕鸮
Bubo sumatranus Barred Eagle-Owl 马来雕鸮
Bubo shelleyi Shelley's Eagle-Owl 横斑雕鸮
Bubo lacteus Verreaux's Eagle-Owl 乳黄雕鸮
Bubo coromandus Dusky Eagle-Owl 乌雕鸮
Bubo leucostictus Akun Eagle-Owl 蝶斑雕鸮
Bubo philippensis Philippine Eagle-Owl 菲律宾雕鸮
Ketupa blakistoni Blakiston's Fish-Owl 毛腿渔鸮
Ketupa zeylonensis Brown Fish-Owl 褐渔鸮
Ketupa flavipes Tawny Fish-Owl 黄腿渔鸮
Ketupa ketupu Buffy Fish-Owl 马来渔鸮
Scotopelia peli Pel's Fishing-Owl 横斑渔鸮
Scotopelia ussheri Rufous Fishing-Owl 棕渔鸮
Scotopelia bouvieri Vermiculated Fishing-Owl 矛斑渔鸮
Nyctea scandiaca Snowy Owl 雪鸮
Strix seloputo Spotted Wood-Owl 点斑林鸮
Strix ocellata Mottled Wood-Owl 白领林鸮
Strix leptogrammica Brown Wood-Owl 褐林鸮
Strix aluco Tawny Owl 灰林鸮
Strix butleri Hume's Owl 漠林鸮
Strix occidentalis Spotted Owl 西点林鸮
Strix varia Barred Owl 横斑林鸮
Strix fulvescens Fulvous Owl
Strix hylophila Rusty-barred Owl 锈斑林鸮
Strix rufipes Rufous-legged Owl 棕脚林鸮
Strix uralensis Ural Owl 长尾林鸮
Strix davidi Sichuan Wood-Owl 四川林鸮
Strix nebulosa Great Grey Owl 乌林鸮
Strix virgata Mottled Owl 斑叫鸮
Strix nigrolineata Black-and-white Owl 珠眉叫鸮
Strix huhula Black-banded Owl 黑斑叫鸮
Strix albitarsus Rufous-banded Owl 棕斑叫鸮
Strix woodfordii African Wood-Owl 林叫鸮
Jubula lettii Maned Owl 鬃冠鸮
Lophostrix cristata Crested Owl 冠鸮
Pulsatrix perspicillata Spectacled Owl 眼镜鸮
Pulsatrix melanota Band-bellied Owl 斑腹眼镜鸮
Pulsatrix koeniswaldiana Tawny-browed Owl 茶眉眼镜鸮
Surnia ulula Northern Hawk Owl 猛鸮
Glaucidium passerinum Eurasian Pygmy-Owl 花头鸺鹠
Glaucidium brodiei Collared Owlet 领鸺鹠
Glaucidium perlatum Pearl-spotted Owlet 珠斑鸺鹠
Glaucidium californicum Northern Pygmy-Owl 北鸺鹠
Glaucidium gnoma Mountain Pygmy-Owl 北鸺鹠/山鸺鹠
Glaucidium jardinii Andean Pygmy-Owl 安第斯鸺鹠
Glaucidium bolivianum Yungas Pygmy-Owl
Glaucidium hardyi Hardy's or Amzonian Pygmy-Owl 亚马孙鸺鹠
Glaucidium minutissimum Brazilian Pygmy-Owl 小鸺鹠
Glaucidium brasilianum Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl 赤褐鸺鹠
Glaucidium peruanum Peruvian or Pacific Pygmy-Owl 秘鲁鸺鹠
Glaucidium nanum Austral Pygmy-Owl
Glaucidium siju Cuban Pygmy-Owl 古巴鸺鹠
Glaucidium tephronotum Red-chested Owlet 红胸鸺鹠
Glaucidium sjostedti Sjostedt's Owlet 栗背鸺鹠
Glaucidium cuculoides Asian Barred Owlet 斑头鸺鹠
Glaucidium castanopterum Javan Owlet 爪哇鸺鹠
Glaucidium radiatum Jungle Owlet 林鸺鹠
Glaucidium castanonotum Chestnut-backed Owlet 栗背鸺鹠
Glaucidium capense African Barred Owlet 鸺鹠
Glaucidium castaneum Chestnut Owlet 栗鸺鹠
Glaucidium ngamiense Ngami Owlet 恩加米鸺鹠
Glaucidium scheffleri Scheffler's Owlet
Glaucidium albertinum Albertine Owlet
Xenoglaux loweryi Long-whiskered Owlet
Micrathene whitneyi Elf Owl 姬鸮
Athene noctua Little Owl 纵纹腹小鸮
Athene brama Spotted Owlet 横斑腹小鸮
Athene blewitti Forest Owlet 林斑小鸮
Speotyto cunicularia Burrowing Owl 穴鸮
Aegolius funereus Boreal Owl 鬼鸮
Aegolius acadicus Saw-whet Owl 棕榈鬼鸮
Aegolius harrisii Buff-fronted Owl 黄额鬼鸮
Ninox rufa Rufous Owl 棕鹰鸮
Ninox strenua Powerful Owl 猛鹰鸮
Ninox connivens Barking Owl 吠鹰鸮
Ninox rudolfi Sumba Boobook 松巴鹰鸮
Ninox boobook Southern Boobook 南方布布克鹰鸮
Ninox novaeseelandiae Morepork 布布克鹰鸮
Ninox scutulata Brown Boobook or Brown Hawk Owl 鹰鸮
Ninox affinis Andaman Boobook or Andaman Hawk Owl 安达曼鹰鸮
Ninox superciliaris White-browed Boobook 白眉鹰鸮
Ninox philippensis Philippine Boobook 菲律宾鹰鸮
Ninox ochracea Ochre-bellied Boobook 赭腹鹰鸮
Ninox squamipila Moluccan Boobook 栗鹰鸮
Ninox theomacha Jungle Boobook 褐鹰鸮
Ninox meeki Manus Boobook 阿默岛鹰鸮
Ninox punctulata Speckled Boobook 斑鹰鸮
Ninox variegata Bismarck Boobook 俾斯麦鹰鸮
Ninox odiosa Russet Boobook 新不列颠鹰鸮
Ninox jacquinoti Solomon Islands Boobook 所罗门鹰鸮
Uroglaux dimorpha Papuan Boobook 丛鹰鸮
Sceloglaux albifacies Laughing Owl 笑鸮
Pseudoscops grammicus Jamaican Owl 牙买加鸮
Asio stygius Stygian Owl 乌耳鸮
Asio otus Long-eared Owl 长耳鸮
Asio abyssinicus Abyssinian Owl 埃塞[俄比亚]耳鸮
Asio madagascariensis Madagascar Owl 马岛长耳鸮
Asio clamator Striped Owl 黑领斑鸮
Asio flammeus Short-eared Owl 短耳鸮
Asio capensis Marsh Owl 沼泽耳鸮
Nesasio solomonensis Fearful Owl 恐鸮
我的空间相册里有一些猫头鹰的照片，感兴趣可以看看：
http://hi.baidu.com/%C3%D4%C4%E3%B0%C9/album/%C4%AC%C8%CF%CF%E0%B2%E1
