The Unbelievable Flight of a Barn Owl | Super Powered Owls | BBC Earth

How do owls fly? Lloyd puts Lily to the test against two of his other birds to find out what is so unique about the way owls fly...
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[@jitsesparreboom1491]

Birds don't have Wings like airplanes, airplanes have Wings like birds

[@purkz6708]

True! :D

[@jonathanfrancesconi3355]

Thank you

[@jhonny1416]

Birds have wings like airplanes

[@suehamilton8531]

lol thought the same thing!

[@shazrinrania_12_94]

Very true though

[@oldrabbit8290]

I love how the owl's wings become transparent in the evening light.. it's so majestic..

[@sheikaejulius4441]

me too

[@SagaciousSilence]

I absolutely love Owls. From their beautiful appearance to their pudgy stature, they're simply amazing.

[@frankG335]

I agree. They're mysterious, emotional, amazingly graceful, sometimes goofy, very intelligent, passionate about their mate and babies, opinionated, and some of the most beautiful creatures on earth.

[@jewelsa.6089]

Never liked owls until I saw the barn owl. I watch a You Tube channel by: Vegan Hippie. She is fun & “ “Lookie” her barn owl too .These 2 are adorable. Lookie the white barn owl is spoiled, well trained,& beautiful :0). Very cuddly, & full of love.

[@detectiveben1096]

well, considering you made them, our lord and savior

[@kdvr766]

Detective Ben10 i think it was his dad not him

[@jackd1582]

Just never ever tell a woman you love her pudgy stature .

[@dreamking893]

I don't use the term majestic that often but the way they almost float weightlessly like a ghost is majestic.

[@ruirodtube]

Beautiful video. A few remarks from a pilot: 1. The reason the owl flies slower is to remain silent. High speed creates aerodynamic noise due to air turbulence. 2. Unlike what the documentary says it's not the wing tip vortices that create forward thrust but rather the "spanish hand fan" effect pushing air backwards. 3. The beauty of a bird's wing is that it creates both lift and thrust at the same time, while engineers separate lift and propulsion in airplanes. The mechanics of a bird's wing are too complex to be copied but so much more efficient compared to an airplane's wing+engines. 4. Ever noticed that birds don't have a vertical stabiliser? Aerodynamically it's more efficient but it requires more dynamic control to fly straight. 5. Is it me or does it look like the owl's wing upward stroke creates more thrust than the other birds upward stroke? It would make sense to compensate for a smaller wing area.

[@timg1099]

interesting take from a pilots viewpoint.

[@dmeingojohnson2570]

thank you buddy learned something

[@tylerrunyan2161]

theres a rc robot bird that can fly so UR WRONG

[@micksta945]

He was very obviously referring to it being complex to copy in a plane. And I imagine the RC bird is still nowhere near as efficient as a bird.

[@geertes218]

A real good compare,but they fly slow to scan the environs,the special construction from the feathers make's them silently.A wing of an owl is very complex,just like the flaps on a plane they have on the front af the wings,just in the half,a few little steering feathers also to make direct adjustments when they need quick turns.Not even showed in this video.The wing of an barn owl creates also a lott of lift,a lott more than other birds,by night they hunt more on echo than on vieuw.And this echo may not be disturbed when hunting.A real complex animal. ;)

[@screwmysisterleon]

Lol at everyone who came here expecting a fight.

[@kdvr766]

Abhijeet Warrier i actually thought this was also a death match it did have vs. In the title so...

[@pargm9543]

Sorry I don't but less knowledge create confusion like u person

[@kdvr766]

@@pargm9543 when you're trying to diss SOMEones comment but your reply is moronic. So how big is this crate of confusion 😂

[@kdvr766]

@@pargm9543 Hahaha you're as stupid as your comment who cares what that means. Anyones who has knowledge as you say would know the context from the get go but i bet your brain wouldn't be able to process my reply. 😂😂

[@kdvr766]

@@pargm9543 should i simplify my comment? I feel like your still using google translate to comprehend my response. 😂😂😂

[@thosearentpillows5638]

I spend a lot of time hiking at night. They fly totally silent. You see them with your headlamp or you hear them hooting.

[@kihunipunk]

Watching the owl fly was amazing. It just seems so elegant and understated.

[@shawnmclean7932]

Scoops the air in 3 dimensions.

[@AJGoff110]

I'm surprised they didn't talk about why flying slowly with fewer flaps is useful to an owl?

[@vangu2918]

Aj Goff I think they do later in the documentary.

[@LordBafford17]

Owls are stealth hunters. They don't need speed. They need very controlled flight so as to avoid noises and accidentally rustling leaves when flying between trees etc. Fewer wing flaps per unit distance compared to other birds also mean lesser chance of creating wing beat noise over small distances. They have very soft feathers on their wings which further helps avoiding noise. They are the leopards of the bird kingdom.

[@Fanchen]

less flaps = less energy required for flight

[@tjslam26]

I was waiting too.

[@tjslam26]

@@Fanchen Yeah, but why sacrifice speed though?

[@Regulus_00]

Well, I learned the principles of flight thanks to that video . 😁😊

[@ShadowKick32]

this does not apply to planes though, don't fall for the pressure fallacy ;)

[@Regulus_00]

ShadowKick32 ah, thanks for info too 🙂

[@jaimeivantamayo]

Now you can put it in practice mate

[@Excalibur2112]

Air foil is shaped from a bird's wing, since birds were around long before any aircraft.

[@rocktalk7906]

Hopefully more of us can learn to to be thankful to have creatures like this among us.

[@estracto_12]

AMOGUS

[@johnbiever4204]

It makes sense that the peregrine is faster and more maneuverable, it has to grab other birds out of miid air!

[@fatimaassir1228]

Now, I love and admire owls

[@abdullahmoniradommo3382]

I just love barn owls.There was a couple living just below my window.They would rise some chicks every year and the curious chicks would stand on the sunshade and watch us what we do.They used to circle me or maybe our roof in the twilight .I miss them they are just gone for two years now.I hope they are fine and still flying in the mid night sky and breaking it's silence with their calls.

[@bulenterol3020]

owls are my fav birds

[@frankG335]

ME TOO!

[@muhammadahmadraza6975]

I have 1 same bird

[@phantasmdarkstar3505]

F16,C-130 and a Boeing 747

[@bkjeong4302]

Phantasm Darkstar exactly

[@TheAdriyaman]

F16 Peregrine Falcon xD

[@AquilaLupus9]

Wouldn't a U2 be more apt than a C-130?

[@l0rrow288]

The barn owl makes almost no sound when it flies, so maybe it's a B-2 spirit :p

[@skullsaintdead]

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules as the barn owl? Curious, why? Its a loud turboprop, probably couldn't get much louder. Its also huge. I'm not familiar with plane types via their noise levels but turbofans would, as a whole, be significantly quieter, esp the high bypass engines of late. Maybe you're referring to its ability to land on unpaved runways? But there's fighters that can land/takeoff vertically, they'd be a better fit (F-35). I'd agree that a spy plane (like the U2) or a bomber designed for stealth (B-2 spirit) would be a more fitting tribute.

[@gian963]

I sense a lot of fluid dynamics here. Really fantastic and mesmerizing video.

[@rozee2133]

I was just blessed a few nights ago to be sitting outside at dusk; one came gliding by right in front of me no sound it all. It was amazing. Spiritual somehow …

[@MrsCaranAmy]

Absolutely fascinating to learn the dynamics of the differences in the birds flying.

[@patrickgrajam13]

I wanna be a bird😂

[@TokageSan]

Did anyone else notice that the barn owl while slower had a much smoother lift off and flight pattern compared to the falcon and goose

[@duanekit94]

So graceful when they fly.

[@GeneralKenobiSIYE]

One of the fastest birds on Earth? No, THE fastest bird on Earth.

[@maryrosekent8223]

General Obi Wan Kenobi When it goes into its stoop, yes; but on straight flying, it might have competition.

[@wolfman2.055]

@@maryrosekent8223 true swallows and swifts are actually faster in straight forward flight , falcons are pretty quick but their fastest when diving.

[@hanirenshi3698]

Isn't it the eagle?

[@wolfman2.055]

@@hanirenshi3698 no , eagles are not slow by any means but they are far from being the quickest bird on earth .

[@hanirenshi3698]

@@wolfman2.055 I see. Thanks 😁

[@chrissedlmayr5625]

First thing I thought, when commentator said that birds have wings shaped like airfoils. Airfoils were designed because of a bird's wings.

[@gurumayummadan2646]

I loved this episode. Thanks BBC EARTH.

[@sherryankeny2161]

I love owls! One of my favorite birds!!!

[@rosamercado1582]

That's why the Owls are so graceful. I enjoy the video, THANK You.

[@crushercathy69]

Truly fascinating, informative and amazing videos on this channel!! I love it!!!!

[@shahincoco4710]

its magical to see these beautiful creatures in the sky flying , where they belong !

[@riskzerobeatz]

Simply amazing. Nature is so wonderful :D

[@globalfamily8172]

We have a horned owl. I hear him every night, but finally saw him in flight the other day. Thick body and wide wingspan.

[@utkarsh22smart]

Hi Professors and Seniors, i am following your work from last 3 years and I am quite engaged the in the concepts you've laid. Loved your Work.

[@DhavalPatel-jy7qy]

Lovely Lily!

[@kailashpatirai]

Most helpful bird for human being 👍️🙏

[@sandhyasingh7768]

This is beautiful...

[@shawnmclean7932]

Beautiful.

[@pinkiwi]

Birds is my favurite animals

[@zayamichael]

Those vortices do not thrust the bird forward and upwards. They are a byproduct of those forces. They create a significant force of drag, which is canceled out in contact with the ground. Flying close to the ground provides super efficient flight.

[@user-hb1lk6lt4p]

Thank you very much for your creative scientific production. We wish you further progress and success

[@coraldyecoraldye7083]

The description of how wings create lift and thrust is regurgitated but the pressure differential and vortices are insignificant compared to deflection which is simply the angle of the wings deflecting air downwards. One could easily get lift with the aerofoil doing the opposite (inverted flight) and without vortices (close to the ground). What is interesting about the owl wing shape is that one can clearly see the pitch of the winds becoming inverted every stroke. So effectively they are like propellers that simply push air back and down and the shape of the wing changes like a propeller can change its pitch.

[@joshuawaring4180]

Beautiful animals

[@oktaviawidiawan2606]

Beautiful...

[@eduardoguajardo1490]

Beautiful

[@jericemnil5576]

the most graceful bird

[@davidshelow5334]

Wonderful footage!

[@asifhusainarastu4256]

Beautiful !

[@iCasualRyan]

one more thing missing, the barn owl flies quietly than all birds

[@maryrosekent8223]

Foreve Because their feathers are softer.

[@HAPPYplaceQC]

beautiful

[@randomx6882]

Do you just ever wish having wings with one of these birds and just.. feel the wind in your face?

[@kevinkilpatrick7510]

BBC Earth Owl videos top 10 youtube rabbit holes of all time prob top 5 good grief ! 🙌

[@maciejxxx4059]

those things are always amazed me

[@FishHeadSalad]

I didn't know that that woman from "The Walking Dead" was into falconry. Live and learn, I guess.

[@jackvoss5841]

You are correct about vortices coming off of wingtips. But, they do not contribute to thrust. Just the opposite; they are drag. It takes power to generate those vortices. The larger the vortices, the more drag. Courtesy of Half Vast Flying

[@bantehayes9973]

Its like a fish swimming. Such fluid motion.

[@kendalllaughon9664]

Thank you this is very interesting & informative I have yet to see an owl fly backwards though & curious of these dynamics 🦉Whoooo

[@rick503z]

Amazing

[@monkey-trial...6578]

Owls have lots of drag w those soft feathers but some have a large wing. Love their landing and nose gear! No hydraulics so they always have to do a gravity drop!

[@kokomi2458]

Barn owl is my favorite bird ♥️

[@hummingbirdlife8723]

Beautiful 😍

[@KareenaStrait]

I did not know that! Wow!

[@TheDaniel366Cobra]

Barn owls are basically winged heads with legs :D

[@omgitsme435]

Carol here killing zombies and training falcons..

[@yoeljimenez9487]

Amazing to see how silent owls can fly! Stunning bird the Barn owl

[@maryrosekent8223]

Yoël Jimenez Because their feathers are softer.

[@yourlocalpharmacist7679]

The barn owl looks like an apple when you bite it

[@Sunthaz]

Why would you bite a poor owl?

[@yourlocalpharmacist7679]

Shakrom i would never D:

[@Sunthaz]

@@yourlocalpharmacist7679 I figured as much. :) I was simply amused by the way you worded your statement.

[@yourlocalpharmacist7679]

Shakrom lol

[@Mayley30]

I ❤️ the peregrine falcon

[@Frostfire40]

Same here. The peregrine falcon is my favorite animal. 1 because I love birds in general. 2 because they are so incredibly fast. And 3 becasue of how bold that falcon is. Unafraid to take on other birds much bigger than themselves. Not just for hunting but also defending from. Incredible bird they are!

[@ThePokeShapeshifter]

i love Owls :)

[@neerudigopal7680]

So nice video

[@Eowyn3Pride]

Super cool! That was lovely!🥰🍻

[@einnarmendoza806]

Peregrine? one of the fastest? you mean the fastest animal? LOL

[@erriahihiba812]

Merci beaucoup. Il 😼🔦🐓🐏🐃🐣🐀🐱🐢🐹🐕🐶🐦🐥🐇🐖🐗🐴🐄🐮🐸🐆🐒🐘🐧🐼🐍🐝🐞🐠🐡🐛🐜🐌🐬⚓🛁⛵10

[@flmc654mcrf4]

Its actually necessary for owls to fly like that since they use it for hunting preys. Owls fly slow. You could actually observe that they dont produce soundwhile flapping their winds. This helps them hunting preys at night. They glide a lot to prevent making noises. They also make few wing beats to stop making noises. Thats why they have the biggest advantage among the three in hunting preys stealthily

[@frankG335]

Yes, you're right.

[@SableTheSue]

Barn owls are my absolute favorite!

[@jackd1582]

No you can't have a pet one

[@Weischeezy]

That was interesting.

[@dwightmagnuson4298]

The Bernoulli explanation of how and why a wing develops lift has been shown to be bogus. (Tip of the hat to the Tappet Brothers) If it were true then a symmetrical wing could not fly, nor could an airplane fly upside-down. Think about it.

[@gabrielzamora6415]

very nice dear frienk.

[@MilanKarakas]

BBC got it wrong. The vortex that bird produce during flap down is reversed. Flapping up bird use to cancel out part of this vortex and pick up forward momentum.

[@lincolny2220]

I like how the owl looks cylindrical when it flies.

[@Thaumazo]

So basically, birds are a like a combination of a plane and a helicopter.

[@vangu2918]

Insanitic Yes, some more so than others, like the hummingbird.

[@kassarawolf4310]

Me, just trying to get art reference: My internet: *"Hippity hoppity, your quality is now my property."*

[@illuminaticonfirmed1389]

I saw a barn owl today, and 😍😍😍

[@frankG335]

OH! You're so lucky! I always consider it good luck to see an owl, or even hear one!

[@willemschipper7736]

It is a common misconception that thrust is generated through difference in velocity of the air travelling under and above the wing, however, there is no law in nature that states air under and above an object have to cover the same distance in the same time

[@prateiksharma9007]

How can i get this background soundtrack! its mesmerising.. Can someone suggest me where i could find it.. thanks

[@maryrosekent8223]

Prateik Sharma I can’t tell you about this specific piece, but if you like minimalism I’d suggest checking out John Adams, Philip Glass, or Steve Reich.

[@leoistari]

Peregrin falcon is the fastest while diving, not the fastest in horizontal flying

[@silverstringsgia-tj9fe]

This is incredible! It's almost as if these birds were scientists that acknowledged how flying works.

[@shellyslioneyes]

silverstrings gia God made them. He's the original intelligence behind it all.

[@maryrosekent8223]

shellyslioneyes Evolution

[@blazinvireo]

Birds are like jets but except they are the animal versions of a jet!

[@swaygfx]

nice

[@GorsGhost]

Owl wing are made for stealth

[@davemckay4359]

Birds are in my opinion the most evolved creatures.

[@e.leohassanmodeste756]

the birth of aircraft and putting man into the sky.

[@bishwarajpleasedontsendany4645]

Any add visitor advertiser are not allowed in this device thanks

[@nonstrhood]

10 points for gryffindor!

[@zapcodeknock4503]

Nice back selfy (...?) RANNNDOMMM

[@Enemji]

Stall speeds. The barn owl can be slow yet stay airborne.

[@owlymctoot2157]

I do not wish to fight on this matter, but I like owls.

[@DeathbyPixels]

Out of all the birds, which one would you like to be, say, for a day? The Peregine Falcon, for speed. The Greylag Goose, for endurance. Or the Barn Owl, for stealth/control?

[@jewelsa.6089]

DeathbyPixels Barn Owl def. !!!

[@brianwahyuri9560]

barn owl, silent and elegant, the rolls royce of the bird kingdom

[@kdvr766]

The one that doesn't get eaten at the end of the day

[@suehamilton8531]

The falcon to experience that speed!

[@paranoia1330]

I kinda relate to what the narrator is talking about, we study aerodynamics in our school

[@satriawiraguna366]

slower but quietest airborn....

[@mirellacaponetto5042]

❤️

[@hrozi3104]

What's the music under the video?

[@aliyabutami9842]

ماشاء الله 😍