Birds of America: Today's Guest
Barn Owl
Can owls hunt in complete darkness?
Renowed for their solems, spooky mien, owls have large eyes that face forward, and arrangement that's rare even among predatory birds. This gives them binocular vision and the resultant depth perception necessary to judge distances with almost pipoint accuracy. While owls may not be able to see everything in total darkness, they can see what other nocturnal predatos might miss.
Photo credit: George W. Robinson © California Academy of Sciences
Which bird makes the best father?
 By and large, the animal kingdom is not the place to look for examples of fatherly dedication. The natural world is rife with males that at best ignore and at worst threaten their offspring. Yet some notable exceptions do exist. One is the Wilson's Phalarope ( Steganopus tricolor), a long-legged, needle-billed relative of the sandpiper.
Photo credit: Dr. Lloyd Glenn Ingles © California Academy of Sciences
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