Like other owls, barred owls have velvety-soft feathers. This softness, combined with a fringed leading edge on the flight feathers, dampens sound, and enables the owl to fly virtually noiselessly. Another aid to silent flight is the fact that the barred owl's wingspan averages 43 inches - a big wingspread for such a light bird. Broad wingspan plus low weight equals buoyant flight, and the barred can move through the air like a moth. Prey is captured partially by being seen, and partially by being heard.
Hearing is extraordinarily acute, as is eyesight - even in daylight.
The gentle barred owl sometimes falls victim to the great horned owl - there is no sense of family among the various owl species. Many barreds meet their death on highways when they swoop down after a mouse, only to collide with a car instead. And, sadly, they are sometimes shot, since they are inquisitive birds that will follow people to see what they're up to. For the story on our resident barred owl, used in our educational programs, go to Resident Bird Bios.