Silent Hunter by danob
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No AI - This artwork was created entirely by hand or with traditional digital tools.
Description
Getting close to these wonderful birds is always a pleasure and also to be able to capture them in very natural looking habitat, even if the woods are a real challenge in the darker light.
One amazing aspect is the total silent flight of the owl, even when they fly right over the top of your head, you can barely feel anything and hear nothing!.
An Owl has very few down feathers, but has downy barbules on the parts of the contour feathers closest to the skin.
Many of the Owl's feathers are specially designed - around the face there are the stiff facial disc feathers or ruff, crown feathers, ear-flap feathers and also bristles around the bill.
The feet and bill have Filoplumes that work somewhat like feelers, to help the Owl react to things they touch, such as prey.
The most unique adaptation of Owl feathers is the comb-like or fimbriate (fringe-like) leading edge of the primary wing feathers referred to as "flutings" or "fimbriae". With a normal bird in flight, air rushes over the surface of the wing, creating turbulence, which makes a gushing noise. With an Owl's wing, the comb-like feather edge breaks down the turbulence into little groups called micro-turbulences. This effectively muffles the sound of the air rushing over the wing surface and allows the Owl to fly silently. There is also an alternate theory that the flutings actually shift the sound energy created by the wingbeats to a higher frequency spectrum, where most creatures (including prey and humans) cannot hear.
Thanks for taking time to look and for any comments you care to make
Comments (73)
Danny, this is excellent ... I love it!
Looks fantastic!
Superb!!!!!! And as always fascinating info!!!!!! thanks... ;-)
Fantastic capture, almost fly out of the picture.
Splendid capture and presentation! Outstanding work. Bunny
Dan this is one of the most amazing captures of a owl I've ever seen. I had no idea they flew so silently until reading this.
Very interesting facts, stunning capture!!!
A wonderful capture and it is amazing that you don't hear this one. Thank you for all the info on him.
This is just a fantastic shot! Well done.
Amazing capture and fantastic presentation.
wow so graseful looking
An absolute delight!! Fantastic capture!! Thanks for the info and photo!! :0)
My friend this it is a very good shot.
Man, that is an Incredible Capture!!!
top notch capture. thanks foor the info as well.
Superbe !!! I'm impressed seems that it comes out of the picture...........
Excellent worw. Superb postwork. Thanks for your comments in my gallery. Juan Angel
I wonder if the face is a low Reynold's number solution to drag like the bulbous bow on a submarine? If so where is the interface that makes it so? Air is laminar at low Reynold's number. Maybe it is some sort of plywood.
An outstanding shot Danny, and more impressive knowing how you can achieve what you want in low light conditions and bring out that gorgeous light and detail!
Oh my!!! this is fabulous!!! hugs Jane xx
Wonderful photo and very beatiful presentation Daniel.....!!!!
Beautiful capture in flight. Swoosh...........and he's upon you. Excellent. Aloha
Wow, amazing capture. CC
Excellent shot and fine presentation,...bravo!!!:o)
Wow! This is completely wonderful. The capture, the fabulous details your narrative has shared and the impressive postwork........I love that the photo itself seems about to fly away from the frame!
This is an awesome capture.
Mighty view of this bird, superb!!
ohhh wow.... what a gorgeous photo. 5++++++++++
A fantastic capture you have uploaded here!!!
Beautifully captured! Great information, Sig...