They feel soft and fluffy. If I closed my eyes and felt them I could easily mistake them for fur.
Most owls have dark gray and brown marking feathers.
The colors provide good camouflage. Owls learn to fly with lots of practice. Parents encourage them by dangling a tasty meal at a distance. The first year of an owl's life is the most dangerous. Owls' wings are well padded with soft, velvety feathers.