An owl’s ears are finely tuned for precision hunting

Ever wondered how it was possible the wizards and witches at Hogwarts could just call for their owls and they’d appear on their arms within a matter of seconds? There may be a tiny sprinkling of science mixed in with the magic! Owls have a highly adapted auditory system. Unlike the other animals mentioned here, the owl’s hearing range is not all that different from a human’s – it is their precision that sets them apart.

They can discern the position of their prey by deducing what ear the sound they’re hearing reaches first, and how long it takes for that sound to reach the other ear. They measure this time with extreme precision, down to 30 millionths of a second. Based on this calculation, they turn their head until the sound reaches both ears simultaneously, and then swoop in for the kill.