Watch a Barn Owl Strike in Breathtaking Slow Motion

Quick Take

• That heart-shaped face serves a hunting purpose most people never consider, and it isn't just there for looks. See the face's function →
• Barn owls have a subtle physical asymmetry that gives them a hunting superpower, and it's hiding in plain sight. Discover the ear asymmetry →
• By the time a barn owl's prey hears anything, it's already too late, with the reason built into every single feather. See the silent feathers →
• The slow-motion strike reveals a precise physical sequence most watchers completely miss at normal speed. Watch the strike mechanics →

Watching a barn owl hunt is a truly wonderful sight, but watching it close up and in slow-motion is breathtaking. In this fantastic YouTube video, captured in a studio, you can witness the deadly beauty of an incredible bird as she spots her prey, prepares for the attack, and strikes with deadly accuracy.

How Do Barn Owls Locate Their Prey?

Barn owls (Tyto alba) are an iconic owl species with a distinctive heart-shaped face, beige back and wings, and pure white underparts. They are nocturnal hunters and spend the night searching for small mammals such as shrews, voles, mice, and occasionally rats. But first, they have to find them.

These owls have large eyes that are very light-sensitive, drawn to the slightest movement on the ground. However, their vision is secondary to their fantastic hearing. That heart-shaped face is not just for looks. It funnels sound towards their ears, which are hidden in their head feathers. What’s more, one ear is slightly higher than the other, so they can tell the distance and direction of the noise. These birds can pick up the faintest rustle of grass from high up on their perch in a tree or from the air.

Barn Owl Launches Stunning Attack

The most spectacular part of this video is the attack. Most commonly, owls use a ‘quartering’ technique when they deliberately and slowly fly in lines above a field. Then, they pause and hover as they lock onto potential prey below. Because this owl has such soft feathers, she hunts in near silence. Comb-like structures on her flight feathers help air flow smoothly across them. Also, the foremost wing feathers have a row of tiny hooks on the edge that deaden the sound of the air hitting the wings. Her victim has no idea that she’s there until it is too late.

You can see in the clip how she locks onto her target with her face, and then her body position adjusts accordingly. She uses her huge wings to steady her body as she sticks out her long legs and swings them in front of her. You see her long talons reaching towards her victim. Though fascinating to watch, it is likely less fun for her prey!