This colophon was written by Nancy Kotary. The animal featured on the cover of Photoshop in a Nutshell, Second Edition , while resembling an owl, does not exist. According to Alison Pirie of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University, this bird is entirely a product of the artist's creation. Owls are easily distinguished from other birds by their forward-facing eyes, lack of a neck, and large heads. Their hearing range approximates that of a human, though their directional hearing is much more sensitive.
Some owls have tufts of feathers on their heads that resemble ears, but are actually decorative.
Despite popular belief, owls are not actually blind in daylight, and, while they cannot see in complete darkness, their eye structure allows them to see with very little light. There are two families and approximately 180 species of these birds of prey distributed throughout the world, with the exception of Antarctica. Most species of owl are nocturnal hunters, feeding entirely on live animals, ranging in size from insects to hares.