Silent Flight

Most birds make a whooshing sound when they fly. But owls fly in near TOTAL SILENCE! How? Three special feather adaptations make this possible. First, the leading edge of their wing feathers has a comb-like fringe that breaks up air turbulence. Second, the trailing edge has a soft, ragged fringe that reduces noise as air leaves the wing. Third, owl feathers have a velvety surface that absorbs sound. The result: a mouse hears NOTHING before the owl strikes!