The facial disc is a concave array of feathers that is on the face of certain birds, most especially owls, which surround the eyes. The concavity of the face disc creates a circular paraboloid which absorbs sounds and directly directs the waves to the owl’s ears. The feathers that make up the disc can be adjusted through the bird’s eyes to adjust the length of this sound collector, which allows the bird to focus on various distances, and also allowing it to find prey using only sound under grass, snow, or plants.
Other species of birds like harriers have facial discs that are less prominent. In harriers the term”face ruff” is used to describe the neck feathers which can be raised to respond to sound, increasing the size of the facial disc as well as increasing hearing.
The barn owl is the bird with the most prominent disc on its face, which measures about 110 millimeters (Simmons) The great grey owl boasts the biggest disc in the world.
Amazing Owl Facts :
- They have feet that are called zygodactyls. which means that two toes are pointed forward and two points backwards. Toes of all toes are sharp claws that hook, referred to as talons. They give them a strong grip and an incredibly strong grasp.
- Female owls are larger heavier, and more aggressive than male owls. They are also more vividly colored and have a more pronounced vocalization.
- Owls of all kinds are night-time nocturnal. There are times when you can observe an owl during the day observing from its nest on the tree. If there is a shortage of food sources, owls could hunt any time throughout the daytime.
- It is the Elf Owl which is only 5-6 inches high is the most tiny of owls on the planet. In addition, the Great Gray Owl which is 32 inches tall is the tallest of all owls.
- The color of an owl’s feather can help to disguise him or blend into the surroundings.
- Owls are able to fly with large wings and extremely lightweight bodies, which makes them quiet fliers.
- All kinds of Owls don’t hoot. They also make other sounds such as the whistling, screeching and rattling. Some even bark and hissing.
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