The Most Interesting Facts on Owls

By: iTopTopics Staff

5. Owls’ hearing are enhanced by their facial feathers

Photo by ccarlstead

Owls not only hear with their ears, but also with their facial ruff called ear tufts. An extensive experiments conducted by neurobiologists Eric Knudsen & Marc Konishi on nocturnal Barn Owls concluded that Barn Owl’s sensitive hearing is enhanced by its facial feathers. These ear tufts are the dark-tipped feathers functioning as a reflector, channeling sounds into the ears. Once a sound is detected, the owl orients toward it and accurately pinpoints its location to within 1.5 degrees in both horizontal and vertical planes.