anon6789

anon6789, 8 months ago

This is owl #4 today, so check out the others if you missed them. I’m curious we can get on the trending list again.

anon6789, 8 months ago

Sky Penguins / Sea Owls

Both walk funny on the ground.

anon6789, 8 months ago

https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/a5065316-7e2f-4320-a551-98fcf62c542f.jpeg

Hoot n Howl Festival

It’s so annoying I can only have one picture per post 😮‍💨

anon6789, 8 months ago

I see a feature request for it, but that’s it. I’ll just have to be patient it seems

anon6789, 8 months ago

Bridger Raptor Festival

The Bridger Raptor festival is right around the corner. Join MRCC, and many other organizations at Bridger Bowl on October 7th & 8th from 10am-3pm. We will have live birds on display, educational materials, and merchandise for sale. Please come out and support this great community event. #Montana #bozeman#bridgerbowl

https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/951a40e3-c24d-4dae-a1f5-438f8abeb445.jpeg

Check out those feet!

anon6789, 8 months ago

Same. Some animals really seem to have super powers, and they don’t mess around!

They look cute to us only because they can’t eat us! When you break it down, they have super vision, X-ray vision, super hearing, stealth, camouflage, flight, super strength, and razor sharp claws and beak. Definitely OP.

anon6789, 8 months ago (edited 8 months ago)

Well, x-ray hearing would be more appropriate, their anatomy allows them to hear in 3D to locate prey through snow. Normal sight hunters would be out of luck, but some owls’ ears let them find what can’t be seen.

How Can An Owl Catch A Mouse Underneath A Foot Of Snow In Total Darkness?

Owls do have excellent vision, but one would need either infrared or x-ray vision to see a small mammal under snow. Instead, owls do much of their hunting with the aid of their incredible hearing.

Owl hearing has been most extensively studied in Barn Owls. These pale predators can see very well in low light, but their ears are better. Their hearing is the best of any animal that has ever been tested.

All owls possess extremely sensitive hearing, allowing them to hear low-volume sounds that are relatively far away. But beyond that, many owls also have an uncanny ability to hone in on the exact location of a sound source. Owls with this special ability have an unusual anatomical trait: ears that are positioned asymmetrically on their heads.

In the Barn Owl for example, the external ear canals are offset in two ways. One ear is higher than the other, and one ear is also farther forward on the head than the other. This unusual arrangement helps the Barn Owl locate the source of sounds in three-dimensional space with great precision. Tiny differences in the time it takes for sounds to reach each ear allow the owl to almost instantly zero in on the sound’s precise location. The owl can determine not only the direction of a sound, but its height (i.e. on the ground or in a tree) and distance as well.

Source

Reference Pic https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/86c262e5-532d-4c39-a9b1-21465f598ae3.jpeg

anon6789, 8 months ago

Yes, indeed! Most owl species are monogamous.

They don’t seem to roost together most of the time unless raising babies, but I guess that still helps them maintain their territory during the off season.

anon6789, 8 months ago

Barn Owl Dating Video

anon6789, 8 months ago

Yes, it is very awesome!

I wonder how it feels having an asymmetrical head…

anon6789, 8 months ago

Active sonar or ultrasound imaging would be the closest I can think of, but those both involve an initial sound produced by the one listening. Passive sonar is closer, but I don’t know if humans can actual locate anything that way.

Triangulation itself is used in a lot of things, but the owls are just able to do it instantly without math. They do look a bit goofy doing it, but that seems a fair trade for a special ability. That’s what all the upside down head stuff is all about.

anon6789, 8 months ago

Here’s an Australian Geographic article about Powerful Owls worth a read with some more photos, including this low power version.

https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/20879fc2-9512-431e-8d87-7d90faa655aa.jpeg

anon6789, 8 months ago

Yes, it doesn’t seem we’re doing any species any favors, does it? 😅

anon6789, 8 months ago

If we look at it as a ratio as stated, it seems to work out.

Powerful Owls are about 3 pounds. If they can take down body weight prey, that’s 3 pounds.

A big barn owl, a common owl in most parts of the world, would be 1.4 pounds. Going by the average prey weight of 20% body weight, that’s 0.28 pounds.

3 / 0.28 = 10.7

anon6789, 8 months ago

It’s all good. Math isnt a requirement to enjoy looking at the wildlife. It’s also ok to question things, especially if they don’t make sense.

anon6789, 8 months ago

He just needs to rest his eyes for a minute… He’ll catch up later…

https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/e1d23e50-883e-48b1-990f-b8c99a5b6cab.jpeg