Desert Biome
Science
The Biome in the Desert
I am the great horned owl, my species of owl can live in a variety of areas across the United States, but I live in the desert ecosystem. I get my name from the tufts of feathers that appear as horns on my head. When you are traveling near my ecosystem in the late afternoon or near dusk, you may see my reddish brown gray or black-and-white body flying through the air. I am typically 18 to 25 inches long and have a 36 to 60-inch wingspan, a wingspan is the measurement between each wing tip in the desert ecosystem, I am a consumer.
I get energy from consumers and other producers, producers get their energy directly from the sun, and consumers get their energy from the producers. The energy from the meat I eat actually begins with the sun. The sun provides energy to the desert plants, like the prickly pear. The kangaroo rat then eats the seeds from the plant. I am also considered to be a carnivore. This means I only eat meat. While soaring through the air or perching in a high place, I can see my prey, the kangaroo rat, with my incredible vision, I then swoop down and grab the rat with my talons. Each member of my desert food chain is important. If just one piece of the chain is missing, the entire ecosystem could be affected.