Owls are one of the most easily distinguishable birds as they have very familiar and specific characteristics. If asked to describe an owl then we would probably all mention their large round plate-like faces and their big eyes. Sometimes they can be described as having a heart-shaped face but one thing that is always agreed upon is that a key feature of the owl’s face is how flat it is!
Owls are very easy to recognise, just think of the popular Barn owl, with their visually prominent rounded face, often measuring about 110mm! But it’s important to remember that the anatomy of an owl’s face isn’t just for appearance sake, their flat face plays an important role in their survival. So, let’s answer the question…
Why do owls have flat faces?
Owls have flat faces so that they can capture sound waves and direct them towards their ears. Working like a shield, the round face stops the sound waves and the feathers then funnel them into the ear canal. This helps the owl pinpoint where a sound is coming from, allowing for optimum hunting capabilities.
An owls flat face is also known as the facial disc which describes the positioning of the feathers that frame the owl’s facial features. The feathers circle round the eyes and lead to the ear holes that are located asymmetrically on each side of the owl’s head just behind the eyes inside the owls facial disc. These feathers are vital for funnelling sound into the ears. Owls faces are concaved so that all sound waves moving towards the owl can be captured. An owl can alter and adjust their feathers so that they can collect sound more efficiently.
When sound reaches the ears, it will be heard differently depending on where it has come from. The facial disc allows the owls brain to pinpoint sound from various distances, allowing prey to be hunted from near and far, and through various materials such as snow, grassland, bushes, trees, plant cover and vegetation. Owls depends on their hearing so heavily, they don’t need sight to successfully hunt, this explains why owls can be nocturnal as they can hunt prey in total darkness as long as they can hear them.
I hope this has clearly explained why an owl has a flat face and how this helps the owl survive and excel in being a brilliant hunter both during the day and at night.
