Giving A Hoot: Owl’s Silent Flight

Have you ever heard a pigeon take off in your garden? How about an owl? Owls are specialised nocturnal hunters and one of their many tricks is the ability to fly in almost absolute silence.

This proves valuable for two reasons. The first one is pretty obvious – silent flight allows an owl to sneak up and catch their prey without the sound of beating wings giving their position away to their dinner. The second advantage, and probably the most important one, is that it allows the owl to use its own hearing to detect and track their potential prey item.

So, how do owls accomplish this stealthy feat? The answer is in their feathers. On the edge of the owl’s primary feathers, there are comb-like features. These unique adaptations are known as ‘fimbriae’ or ‘flutings’. As the owl flies, the comb-like feathers break up the airflow into small groups called micro-turbulences. This, in effect, muffles the sound of rushing air over the wing surface.

In addition, relative to their body mass, owls have large wings. This extra surface area helps owls to glide through the air with little need for flapping.

For more information follow Eco-Solutions on their Facebook page