Strigidae Owls

Archetypal birds of the night, these keen predators have evolved numerous adaptations to nocturnal hunting: acutely sensitive ears, including asymmetrical ear openings in some species, to help localize prey by sound alone; wing feathers with fringed edges that make their flight silent; forward-pointing eyes on a flat facial disk, enabling binocular vision and increasing the incoming light and sound; and the ability to swivel their heads 270 degrees. They have very strong and robust feet and legs, with a fourth, reversible, toe that is as often held behind as in front of the perch.