how is the barn owl adapted to its role as a nocturnal predator?

Answer 1

The barn owl is a nocturnal predator that consumes many small animals.

Barn owls begin hunting alone on hour after sunset. As an aid for detecting movement in grassland, they have developed highly specialized low-light vision. When hunting in complete darkness, however, the owl relies on it acute sense of hearing to capture prey. The barn is the most accurate bird at locating prey by sound, because of the location of its ears. Because it has one ear higher on one side of its head than the other, the barn owl can tell exactly how far off-center a sound source is from where the owl is facing. Another trait that adds to its hunting success is its downy feathers, which help to muffle the sound of its movement. The owl’s wing feathers also have a fringe on them to help with silent flight.

Answer 2

Here's *how* Barn Owls hear so well.

Like the other guy said, their ears are positioned asymmetrically on the face. Therefore, there is a slight difference in the time it takes for a sound wave coming from left/right or above/below to hit each ear. Barn Owls intuit this difference and use the information to judge exactly where the noise is coming from. For example, if a squirrel is chattering on a tree above the owl, the chattering noise will hit the higher ear first and the lower ear second.

Also, notice how the disk of feathers on their face is shaped somewhat like to human ears put next to each other. That facial feather disc (that gives them almost a monkey-like look) collects sound and send it toward the ear. You use the same mechanism when you put your hands behind your ears to hear something better. Plus, (forgive me if you know this), but the external part of your ear--the part you can grab--is called the pinna and it gathers and funnels sound waves the same way. I hope this helped.

P.S.--Barn Owls can nail a mouse in total darkness (in a pitch black room and blindfolded.)

Answer 3

I doubt they would! Barn Owls hunt by sound rather than sight - with its acute hearing the Barn Owl can detect the very slightest of movements and sound of its prey. Its ears are set asymmetrical, one higher than the other under the feathering of the inside edge of the facial disc, located next to the eyes. The facial disc acts as a sound funnel, collecting and filtering sound. It is said that a Barn Owl can actually hear a mouse's heartbeat in a 30 sq ft room. Something as subtle as rock music would probably be uncomfortable to say the least!

Answer 4

well, because it sleeps during the day and is awake at night it is nocturnal and it is a predator because is a carnivour and hunts for its food (mostly mice and other small animals)

Answer 5

to add to what jamaica said-

they also have hollow bones for silent flight & huge eyes to help them see at night.