Hiding its beak behind feathers :D
this post was submitted on 21 Jul 2024
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The feathers here around the beak are called rictal bristles.
There is still much debate in what functions these serve for birds.
With owls, the thought is it helps them feel and sense things close to their face. Owl eyes can't move, due to their shape. This is why they twist their head around funny directions; their eyeballs are in fixed position. That leaves a blind spot in between them up close, which is why these special feathers may be very important to them.
That makes a lot of sense, thanks :)
Of course! 🦉
But it makes him look like he’s got a happy little secret…
I said they served multiple and mysterious functions... Keeping a secret can certainly be one of those things! 😏