Page 36 - Never Plead Ignorance

34 NEVER PLEAD IGNORANCE

Hunting birds have keen eyes that en-
able them to locate their prey and
protect themselves against them.
Yet in this sense, no hunting
bird is better equipped than
the owl. Some species turn
their heads through one hundred degrees,
an ability very useful for extending the angle
of vision of the owl's eyes.
No doubt, the most remarkable feature of the owl's
eyes is their size. These big eyes cover a considerable part of the face and
are separated only by a thin bone. The eyes rest tightly in the eye cavity
and leave almost no room for muscles. They are unable to move and force
the owl to use its flexible neck and turn in different directions. 9
Once the owl locates its prey's position, it should lose no time in at-
tacking it. However, the majority of birds make noise while flying. The
noise of the wings of an eagle, for instance, can be heard miles away, as
can the wings of many other big birds. Noisy wings are obviously disad-
vantageous for a night hunter. However, the owl's soft feathers with their
tassel-like structures at the ends allow the owl to fly noiselessly. The sur-
face of the wings' velvet-soft feathers efficiently absorbs noise. 10
Rattlesnakes are able to locate warm-blooded animals – a rat, for in-
stance – even in pitch darkness. The rattlesnake can still sense a rat only
15cm away, although the rat causes a minor tem-
perature change of only 0.005°C.
Information regarding the prey is con-
veyed to the brain, assessed and re-
sponded to by the snake in less than

Rattlesnakes, with
their eyes sensitive to
heat, can see warm-
blooded animals even
in pitch darkness.