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The ruff is located around the owl’s face and acts as a reflector for sound. [19] Owls have specific feathers on their head that help direct sound toward their external ear openings, known as reflector feathers, as well as feathers that help prevent the ruff from getting dirty, known as auricular feathers.
The great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), also known as the tiger owl (originally derived from early naturalists' description as the "winged tiger" or "tiger of the air") [3] or the hoot owl, [4] is a large owl native to the Americas. It is an extremely adaptable bird with a vast range and is the most widely distributed true owl in the Americas. [5]
Further adaptations in the wing feathers eliminate sound caused by flying, aiding both the hearing of the owl listening for hidden prey and keeping the prey unaware of the owl. Barn owls overall are darker on the back than the front, usually an orange-brown colour, the front being a paler version of the back or mottled, although considerable ...
The northern saw-whet owl (Aegolius acadicus) is a species of small owl in the family Strigidae. The species is native to North America. Saw-whet owls of the genus Aegolius are some of the smallest owl species in North America. They can be found in dense thickets, often at eye level, although they can also be found some 20 ft (6.1 m) up.
Mobbing calls are used to recruit individuals in an area where an owl or other predator may be present. These calls are characterized by wide frequency spectra, sharp onset and termination, and repetitiveness that are common across species and are believed to be helpful to other potential "mobbers" by being easy to locate.
The smallest owl—weighing as little as 31 g (1 + 3 ⁄ 32 oz) and measuring some 13.5 cm (5 + 1 ⁄ 4 in)—is the elf owl (Micrathene whitneyi). [6] Around the same diminutive length, although slightly heavier, are the lesser known long-whiskered owlet (Xenoglaux loweryi) and Tamaulipas pygmy owl (Glaucidium sanchezi). [6]
The barred owl is a powerful vocalist, with an array of calls that are considered "spectacular, loud and emphatic". [42] Calls probably carry well over 0.8 km (0.50 mi). [43] Its usual call is a series of eight accented hoots ok-ok-ok-ok ok-ok-buhooh, or the "typical two-phrase hoot" with a downward pitch at the end.
Certain words in the English language represent animal sounds: the noises and vocalizations of particular animals, especially noises used by animals for communication. The words can be used as verbs or interjections in addition to nouns , and many of them are also specifically onomatopoeic .