Owls' Silent Flight Experiment: How Can Owls Hunt in Silence Mode?

Owls have some fairly iconic tricks up their wings, including 270-degree head turning. But they’re also masters of silent flight, able to swoop down on their prey unnoticed. How are they hunting so silent? With the help of Kensa the barn owl and flying experiments in a soundproof lab, we explore the science behind the silence. Learn about owls’ unique wing adaptations - and how both owl and rodent hearing has had an evolutionary impact.
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🔗 Source: www.ncbi.nlm.n...
#owls #science #silence

[@dadsfreetimeclassicgaming1220]

I am actually kind of mad that they're playing music over footage in which they're describing sound to us. Instead of letting us actually hear what the hell is going on.

[@TheFilmFatale]

Agreed. It would also be kind of jarring (in a positive way) to draw the viewers’ attention to “listening” to silence. But as-is, the habit of playing background music over narration misses an opportunity to communicate that key concept of silence.

[@Kiyoone]

totally agree...

[@Icybloxfam]

Womp womp

[@christian.dominic]

quiet!im trying to read these comments..

[@stevebennett9839]

Owls are such cool birds. I love hearing them calling at night when im in laying in bed. I always wonder where they are in relation to my house.

[@terramater]

Hi @stevebennett9839! They really are such cool birds! 🦉

[@SMGAPR8]

Amazing birds, with a distinct sound,

[@terramater]

Want to know more wild facts? 🤗 Check out our Wild to Know series: kzbin.info/aero/PLZ3CjNbCdQe-qL0vweacJkW6qvQpOtXYv

[@downhilldom84]

🦉 Very detailed information. I think, BBC also made a video to this topic with high precision microphones. Very fascinating and beautiful birds!

[@terramater]

Hi @downhilldom84! We often co co-productions with BBC, so it's possible that's the same footage. :)

[@rositasultana3958]

🦉 fascinating!

[@terramater]

Hi @rositasultana3958! Owls are awesome, right? 😍

[@rositasultana3958]

@@terramater *Hedwig rules*

[@blunzengrostl5899]

🦉 🦉 🦉

[@kathyboly19]

Every fall (like clockwork) these two HUGE owls show up and perch on the over-arch of the street light. I don't know which type of owls they are, but I LOVE listening to their hoots and calls.

[@terramater]

Hi @kathyboly19! So beautiful! You should take some photos ❤️

[@kathyboly19]

@@terramater We have tried but the flash makes them fly away and we want them to be comfortable enough to stay there.

[@terramater]

🥲

[@johnanson5894]

🌲Wonderfowl!!!🦉🌳

[@alveolate]

Owlsome

[@nicdesmedt7443]

For the sound being produced behind the owl not to matter for pray scaring, the owl would need to travel at a speed faster than or equal to the speed of sound, which would be roughly over 1000km/h. A feet which is very rare in nature to the point that it is bar non existent. A small oversight to be fair.

[@NHHalKnowsHow]

If anyone is near Vermont, VINS houses some owls at their facility in Quechee. They put on a presentation with those that have been injured and can no longer be released into the wild. They are fascinating!

[@scifino1]

🦉great video!

[@terramater]

Hi @scifino1! Thanks for watching!

[@WashweshnyW]

This video is pure magic! Forget fighter jets, owls are the true masters of silent flight. Watching them glide through the night like feathery phantoms is simply mesmerizing. The experiment to understand their secret is fascinating. It's incredible to think how something as seemingly simple as feather structure can have such a dramatic impact on sound. Nature truly is an ingenious engineer! While the comment about beauty is spot on (owls are undeniably gorgeous!), this video goes beyond aesthetics. It delves into the evolutionary marvel that allows owls to be such silent, efficient hunters. The element of surprise is everything for these nocturnal predators! This experiment is like peeking behind the curtain of owl superpowers. We're learning about their unique wing shapes, specialized feathers, and flight techniques. It's a whole new level of appreciation for these magnificent birds. Thank you to the creators for bringing us closer to these silent assassins of the night. This is a must-watch for anyone curious about the wonders of nature and the incredible adaptations that allow creatures to thrive in their environment.

[@terramater]

Hi @WashweshnyW! Thank you for the nice words! Great to hear that you enjoyed the video!

[@scottrackley4457]

There's a special moment when you see a shadow at dusk, and do not hear it. That was an owl, and it is eerie. You simply cannot hear them.

[@terramater]

Indeed, the sight of an owl at dusk is a unique spectacle. Their ability to hunt silently stems from their fascinating adaptations, making them some of the most skilled hunters in the animal kingdom. It's certainly eerie, but it's also a testament to the wonders of nature and evolution.

[@ionut716]

🦉🦉🦉

[@terramater]

whoo whoo🦉 Did you like the video?

[@a.i2625]

Please make a video on the cape buffaloes of Manda bay. These animals survive because of some kind people. It will be an amazing story about friendship between humans and wildlife.

[@terramater]

Hi @a.i2625! Suggestions are always welcome, thanks! 🤗

[@anasghaffar7837]

Where I live, a years ago there was an owl's nest close to my house. Everytime I would go for evening prayer the owl would strike my head out of the blue. Not even once I heard them flying towards me. Sometimes I would just throw punches in the air around my head to deter them. I understood it was their territorial defence but their silent flight impressed me.

[@terramater]

Wow! Sounds scary, but pretty cool at the same time, you really experienced he owl silent flight ❤️

[@mShykot]

I remember I saw this video on BBC Earth

[@AuthenticDarren]

Perhaps the owl is more comfortable when all the surrounding fauna can't hear it either, creatures that would warn nearby creatures of their presence, competing hunters and threats that could bother them if they knew they were there. So eliminating the sound of all of it's flight would certainly be an advantage. If it couldn't do that then his cover would be blown every time he changed his hunting perch. He doesn't want to unnecessarily arouse any suspicions. He likes to catch his prey when the prey's guard is right down, it's easier.

[@rjung_ch]

They such beautiful animals. Cheers 👍💪✌

[@terramater]

Hi @rjung_ch! They really are!

[@chiqadee5996]

I love owls. But I have an indigenous friend who is terrified of them. Her explanation is they are bad omens. Where does this come from? Why do some people think they are bad omens?🦉

[@Carlos-bz5oo]

Owls are associated with death in many cultures. I don't know what your friend's culture is, but if they're Native American they tend to be associated with gods of the underworld and creatures like wendigos

[@Jules-kp7rw]

Because they have primitive beliefs. Owls have a strange face that can be unsettling, fly silently during the night which is when humans are most vulnerable as we can't see much. That makes sense that primitive cultures associated them with bad stuff.

[@Carlos-bz5oo]

@@Jules-kp7rw Refrain from referring to other cultures as "primitive". Especially if the OP's friend is Native American, which had great empires and advanced technology

[@chiqadee5996]

Thank you for the info. She is Native American. She takes me to the Pow Wows, but not traditional ceremonies. I had a huge clear poster with an owl on a branch, moon and clouds in the background on my door for Halloween. She wouldn't come into my house until I took it down. Which I did. She said 'Don't put any owls up, because it was a bad omen.' She didn't explain why, she just to trust her they are bad.

[@Jules-kp7rw]

@@chiqadee5996 Tell her that owls are great because they kill a lot of rodents which tend to be a problem for us humans as they carry diseases and damage our food storage and production systems. Owls help us. They're like flying cats. Like insectivore bats, they look creepy but are very beneficial to humans.

[@mattbesaw2078]

Owls are cool as fuck

[@karetus7070]

🦉

[@nivi161]

Like and abo for owl love from Germany

[@terramater]

Hi @nivi161! Awww, thanks a lot! 🦉💛

[@hemanthk4075]

This is whowlsome ❤

[@terramater]

Hi @hemanthk4075! Thanks for watching! 🦉💛

[@hemanthk4075]

@@terramater 🙌

[@lumiepop5049]

I wasn't wearing my glasses and thought the thumbnail was a hyper realistic render of Momo from Avatar hahaha

[@terramater]

Hi @lumiepop5049! haha. And how did you like the video (with your glasses on)? 🦉

[@lumiepop5049]

​​@@terramater It was great! Owls have such an amazing way of moving. I had no idea they rely on sound to fly!

[@tashriquekarriem8865]

Owl has a PHD in flight

[@user-my5gj4me6q]

Like a ninja 🥷!

[@terramater]

Hi @user-my5gj4me6q! Totally! 🥷🏻

[@snehal50samarpit]

Still 455k ..someone cursed you or what!

[@philliptshabalala1330]

Hearing evolved 5 times but no one has observed animals evolving to defend against extinction. It's rather intelligent design, not evolution

[@robertwayne352]

🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉🦉

[@CliffLambson]

howly

[@terramater]

Hi @CliffLambson! That's a good one! ;)

[@nilanjanachatterjee9023]

😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@Kiyoone]

I mean... Anyone is DEAD SILENT with loud BGM going on... I also can't hear a thing from humans when i go to a rave. The same is going on here. You guys should have silenced this distracting music a little bit heh?

[@SolomonGordonX]

OV-HOE

[@Stikker021]

🦉

[@nayanaindrajith8937]

🦉🦉🦉

[@user-ks4be7bo8j]

🦉🦉🦉

[@KwokPlus2]

🦉🦉🦉

[@simplitian]

🦉

[@robbabcock_]

🦉

[@skybluskyblueify]

🦉

[@3534538]

🦉

[@Marci82]

🦉