Notes

Owls are known as silent predators of the night, capable of flying just inches from their prey without being detected. The quietness of their flight is owed to their specialized feathers. When air rushes over an ordinary wing, it typically creates a “gushing” noise as large areas of air turbulence build up.Owls' wings, however, are unique because they reduce noise caused by turbulence. The main reason owls can fly silently is the uniquely designed leading edges of their primary feathers. When most birds fly, turbulence -- created when air gushes over the surface of their wings -- causes noise. The owls hover in the air by pressure and force by beating their wings up and down. Owls are masters of stealth. While hunting at night, their superior hearing and nocturnal vision allow them to locate faraway prey and their near-silent flight lets them sneak up on their dinner unannounced. Compared to the owl’s silent gliding flight, many other birds can seem downright noisy as they move through the air. But what allows owls to fly so quietly, when other birds can be heard flapping and fluttering from far away?
As Gizmodo says, a group of researchers decided to answer that question in the short BBC Earth video above. Using sensitive sound equipment,the BBC Earth team recorded the
sounds of a pigeon, a peregrine falcon, and a barn owl, all in flight. Then, they filmed each bird flying over a pile of feathers to study how their wings disturbed the air—and the feathers—beneath them. They found that differences in sound came down to each bird’s proportions: The pigeon, for instance, has small wings in relation to its body, forcing it to flap desperately to stay in flight. The owl, meanwhile, supports its small body with relatively large wings, allowing it to glide further on a single wingstroke, creating less air turbulence.The barn owl is far more graceful,” the video explains. “Just one gentle wingbeat sees her gliding effortlessly through the air, creating little more than a whisper in the feathers below.” Learn more about the science behind the silent flight of the barn owl above. Owls are known for their ability to fly nearly silently. This is because of the special shape to their wings and the structure of the feathers. Feathers are often called plumage. Most birds make a sort of flapping, swooshing sound when they fly.While it adds to the owl's mystique, silent flight serves a very practical purpose. It helps this nocturnal creature sneak up on its prey. But how do owls fly silently in the first place?
While it adds to the owl's mystique, silent flight serves a very practical purpose. It helps this nocturnal creature sneak up on its prey. But how do owls fly silently in the first place?
The design of owls' wings allows them to fly in almost absolute silence. Different parts of their wings and the characteristics of their feathers contribute to their silent flight. Owls have broad wings with large surface areas that help them to float through the air without flapping too much. Less flapping makes less noise.