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The secret behind the 270° rotation of the owl's head: Why can it see its surroundings 360°?
Owls, with their nocturnal nature and unique hunting skills, have long spawned countless legends and scientific discussions. Among all birds, owls are known for their unique ability to rotate their heads. Their heads can rotate up to 270 degrees. The physiological structure behind this ability is not only amazing, but also gives them an advantage in hunting and survival. How on earth did this happen? This article will break down the anatomy of the owl and its amazing and perhaps unknown properties.
"Owls can observe their surroundings by rotating their heads without moving their bodies."
Anatomy
The owl's anatomy is the secret to its rotating head. First of all, owls have 14 cervical vertebrae, while humans only have 7, which allows owls to have flexible head movement. What is the evolutionary significance of this structure? When hunting, sensitive hearing and vision are keys to success.
The owl's eyeballs are fixed in their orbits and cannot move, so they must rely on head rotation to adjust their sight. This ability allows them to closely observe the dynamics around them during hunting without worrying about being detected by their prey.“Owls’ eyes are located directly in front of their heads, which allows them to enhance depth perception, especially in low-light environments.”
Listening skills
Hearing is also crucial for owls. Some species of owls have asymmetrically positioned ears, allowing them to locate prey through small differences in sound. In this way, their hunting efficiency is greatly improved.
“The different designs of owls’ ears give them an absolute advantage when hunting at night.”
Flying and hunting
Aside from the ability to rotate their heads, owls fly almost silently, thanks to the special structure of their feathers. The edges of most owls' feathers are jagged, which can effectively reduce the noise caused by flight. This allows them to get closer to their prey without alerting them when hunting, especially at night.
Gender dimorphism
During the breeding season, female owls tend to be larger because their larger size allows them to obtain more food during hunting and breeding. Gender differences among different species often trigger academic discussions, adding to the mystery of owls.
“The energy requirements of female owls during the breeding season prevent them from hunting as often as males.”
Conclusion
Owls not only hunt nimbly because of their amazing head rotation ability, but also become nocturnal hunters because of their unique physiological structure. The design aesthetics and survival wisdom of this night hunter are a kind of silent poetry of nature. How will future research reveal more about owl physiology?
