Rather, the whole head rotates three-quarters of a turn in each direction on a very flexible neck. While eagles and hawks make a whooshing noise in flight, an owl's ultra-soft feathers and broad, rounded wings are designed to muffle sound, allowing owls to listen while cruising and to surprise skittish prey that usually has keen hearing as well. As for hunting methods, some owls are sitters and some are airborne scanners. For example, a long-eared owl may patiently watch and listen from a perch, then pounce on an unsuspecting rat. Barn owls and short-eared owls, on the other hand, will patrol a field by flying slowly back and forth a few feet above the grass.
Smaller owls snatch smaller prey, including insects.
Claws with needle-sharp talons give owls a piercing grip. Combined with its sharp, curved beak, an owl can deal a fatal blow to prey on the first strike. They swallow mice and birds whole through wide mouths concealed by facial feathers. Later, they spit up pellets of the indigestible stuff like fur, feathers and toenails. After a night on the prowl, an owl needs to disappear into the background to rest and digest.