Re:The silence of the owls
by KineticLensman on Wednesday April 08, 2020 @08:13AM
(#22812212)
IANAO but I do voluntary work at a Raptor conservancy.
Owl silent-hunter stealth mode has one significant penalty not mentioned in the article: in some species (e.g. Barn Owls) the feathers are not waterproof because they lack preen oil [0]. Consequently Barn Owl mortality increases in extended periods of wet weather (they get wet and then cold), forcing them to hunt in the day in some cases.
Edit: IANAO = ... Ornithologist, not ...Owl, in case anyone was wondering.
Owl silent-hunter stealth mode has one significant penalty not mentioned in the article: in some species (e.g. Barn Owls) the feathers are not waterproof because they lack preen oil [0]. Consequently Barn Owl mortality increases in extended periods of wet weather (they get wet and then cold), forcing them to hunt in the day in some cases.
Edit: IANAO = ... Ornithologist, not ...Owl, in case anyone was wondering.
[0] https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife...