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Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:17,600 They can find prey without ever seeing it. 2 00:00:20,080 --> 00:00:22,080 They can fly as silent as a ghost... 3 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:27,160 ..and they can even see in the dark. 4 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:38,120 Owls have what appear to be genuine super-powers. 5 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:43,040 To understand their amazing abilities, 6 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:45,440 we're going to get closer than ever before. 7 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:49,280 Meet Luna and Lily. 8 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:55,800 Through the eyes of these fluffy little barn owl chicks... 9 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:57,000 WOMAN: You can fly! 10 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:59,040 ..and their extraordinary family, 11 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:03,560 we'll reveal the magic behind these mysterious birds. 12 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:09,200 You wouldn't want to be a vole now, would you? No. 13 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:11,120 No, life as a vole would be brief. 14 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:13,880 And working with some of the world's leading scientists... 15 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:18,040 There's not a sound. That is really impressive, isn't it? Yup. 16 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:22,320 ..we'll find out what gives owls their super-powered edge. 17 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:50,240 Owls live all over the world... 18 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:53,680 ..from the frozen north... 19 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:57,440 ..to scorched deserts. 20 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,280 With their familiar faces, these charismatic birds 21 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:07,280 have captured our imagination. 22 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,400 There are about 240 different species... 23 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:18,480 ..and they appear to have conquered our planet. 24 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:24,360 They live on every continent, except Antarctica. 25 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,000 So, what are the secrets of their success? 26 00:02:30,640 --> 00:02:32,160 Owls are birds of prey. 27 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:37,760 Like their cousins, the hawks, eagles, and falcons, 28 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:39,160 they have sharp talons... 29 00:02:40,640 --> 00:02:42,640 ..a curved beak 30 00:02:42,640 --> 00:02:44,840 and a taste for small mammals. 31 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:52,200 But they also have a unique set of skills that set them apart. 32 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:55,640 Their superpowers. 33 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:01,760 To find out more, 34 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:03,800 we need to go beneath the surface... 35 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:19,440 ..and start at the very beginning... 36 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,040 ..when all of the potential for this remarkable bird 37 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:30,600 is held in one tiny egg. 38 00:03:33,920 --> 00:03:36,280 After 30 days of incubation, 39 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:38,920 the chick inside is ready to make an appearance. 40 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:43,800 But it's a tough task. It can take 48 hours for an owlet 41 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,240 to break out of its protective shell. 42 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:48,040 What are you up to in there? 43 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,800 You coming out yet, little one? Eh? 44 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:55,760 Anxiously waiting in the incubation room 45 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:58,200 is an unusual father for a bird. 46 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,120 I saw you move then, I saw the egg move. 47 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:05,520 HE LAUGHS 48 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:06,720 You moved! 49 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:16,480 Lloyd Buck has been fascinated with owls since he was young. 50 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:28,240 Now he and his wife Rose have a whole family of birds, 51 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:31,040 including a barn owl called Kensa... 52 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:35,000 ..Johanna the Tawny Owl... 53 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:36,560 Good girl. 54 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:38,040 ..Arnie, 55 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:39,840 Bran, 56 00:04:39,840 --> 00:04:41,600 Moses, 57 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:43,920 PJ... 58 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:46,160 and Sasha the tawny eagle. 59 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,160 Lloyd and Rose love and care for their birds 60 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:52,640 like their own children. 61 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:53,880 Good boys, come on then. 62 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:55,080 Whoo! 63 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:57,120 They also train them to star in films. 64 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:09,600 We've got a little pellet. 65 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:13,160 They have a passion for educating others about birds 66 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:15,800 and the importance of protecting them in the wild. 67 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:32,720 Through the eyes of this special family, 68 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:36,320 we're going to learn more about the owl's mysterious world. 69 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:42,200 Lloyd and Rose are going to put their own birds to the test... 70 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:47,880 ..and, this year, they're expecting some new arrivals... 71 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:52,200 ..two barn owl chicks. 72 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:58,440 Hiya. How's it going, Lloyd? Well, it's all right. 73 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:00,880 The eggs are being incubated by experts 74 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:05,920 at the Hawk Conservancy Trust, a specialist bird conservation centre. 75 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:09,520 He's already started to pip. There's a little bit of movement. 76 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:10,800 Can you see the movement? 77 00:06:12,280 --> 00:06:13,880 Look at that! 78 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:18,120 Mike Riley and his team make regular checks on their progress. 79 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:20,720 We'll put her back in now. Yeah, yeah. 80 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:22,600 The first is nearly ready to hatch. 81 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:34,200 It's almost two days since the owlet inside 82 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:35,840 made her first pip on the shell. 83 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:39,080 Come on, little one. 84 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,120 Now she's exhausted... 85 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:44,360 Go on. What you doing? 86 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:45,800 Get out. 87 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:47,200 ..and running out of oxygen. 88 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:51,520 One more big push and you're out! 89 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:58,200 Ooh, there you are! 90 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:01,200 Hello. 91 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:04,280 You've done well, little one, eh? 92 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:10,200 That must have been a huge effort, wasn't it? To get out of there. 93 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:14,160 See, it's easy to take it for granted when you're here. 94 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:17,760 But, actually, it's a really wondrous thing to see new life 95 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:20,440 to come into the world, there's something really special 96 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:22,960 about that. Really special. 97 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:30,400 Mind you, saying that, they're not the prettiest of owlets, are they? 98 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:35,560 This chick and her younger sibling 99 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:38,320 have come from a pair of captive barn owls. 100 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:40,840 OWLET SQUEAK 101 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:45,240 As they grow, they'll give us a rare and incredible opportunity 102 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:48,160 to learn more about these secretive birds. 103 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,400 We've already thought of a name, which is Luna. 104 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:56,480 We always tend to give our birds names 105 00:07:56,480 --> 00:07:58,280 because they become part of the family. 106 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:12,360 With Lloyd's love and care, Luna grows quickly. 107 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:20,240 And, just six days later, she meets her younger sister. 108 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:25,320 Lloyd and Rose call her Lily. 109 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:37,920 Once the owlets are strong enough, it's time to bring them home. 110 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:41,600 Hello! Hello! 111 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:44,120 SHE LAUGHS 112 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:47,200 All right? There you are. 113 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:48,480 SHE LAUGHS 114 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:53,360 They're so cute. 115 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:00,280 Come on, then. 116 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:04,120 During these early days and weeks, Lloyd and Rose need to give 117 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:06,480 Luna and Lily round the clock attention. 118 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:09,640 Go on. Delicious! 119 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:13,840 'When they hatch, they're blind, completely helpless' 120 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:16,720 they can't even regulate their own body temperature, 121 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:18,120 and they need four feeds a day. 122 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:21,440 'It's just like babies, really. 123 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:24,000 'But you've taken on the responsibility' 124 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:25,880 so you just have to get on with it. 125 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:33,440 The Owlets have a long way to go before they transform 126 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:36,080 into magnificent super-powered owls. 127 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:41,680 Now, shall we write down what you did today, eh? 128 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:44,120 Nature will play its part, 129 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:48,240 but, right now, they're entirely dependent on Lloyd and Rose. 130 00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:58,960 By the evening, everyone's exhausted. 131 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:07,280 But in the wild, this is the time when most owls are waking up. 132 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:09,760 OWL HOOTS 133 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:16,200 The tawny owl haunts our nights. 134 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:23,160 But why choose to live in this dark and difficult time of day? 135 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:25,560 OWL CALLS 136 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:31,480 With the help of a special heat-seeking camera, 137 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:33,880 we can enter this hidden, nocturnal world. 138 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:40,600 It's springtime in the Highlands of Scotland. 139 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:46,280 At this time of year, male owls are feeling the pressure. 140 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:53,800 This one has a family of hungry mouths to feed in a nearby nest box. 141 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:59,080 The thermal camera reveals something else. 142 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:04,760 Many mammals are active at night. 143 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:15,960 So, despite the dark, 144 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:18,120 it's an ideal time to go hunting. 145 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:26,600 Success. 146 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:35,920 The female comes straight over to collect the catch. 147 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:44,200 Her owlets are a month old, 148 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:46,280 with a growing appetite. 149 00:11:48,480 --> 00:11:50,280 One mouse won't be enough. 150 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,760 But luckily there's plenty more where that came from. 151 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:04,920 No other bird of prey can hunt in such darkness. 152 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:09,000 So, at night, 153 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:11,320 owls have the skies to themselves. 154 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:16,200 It's one of the keys to their success. 155 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,280 But how are they able to see in the dark? 156 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:32,360 This is where owls deploy the first of their superpowers. 157 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:37,320 Owls have characteristically big eyes. 158 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:44,920 A tawny owl's eyes take up a staggering 70% of its skull. 159 00:12:51,560 --> 00:12:53,760 For us, it's only 5%. 160 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:00,960 These large eyes enable the owl 161 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:03,440 to gather as much of the available light as possible. 162 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:08,280 At the back of the eye, 163 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:12,400 the retina has a particularly high density of rod cells. 164 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:17,200 These cells are extremely sensitive in low light, 165 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:18,840 capable of resolving 166 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:20,840 an extra layer of detail, 167 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:22,440 which is sent to the brain 168 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:24,280 via the optic nerve. 169 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:32,720 These special adaptations mean a tawny owl can see an image 170 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:35,400 two and a half times brighter than the one we see... 171 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:45,440 ..which helps it target small mammals lurking in dark undergrowth. 172 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:54,400 But tawny owls have another incredible skill. 173 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:01,480 They're territorial birds, 174 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:03,920 and, as they fly around their home range, 175 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:06,200 they create a mental map. 176 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:12,400 This means they can find their way in the dark, 177 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:14,080 avoiding unseen obstacles. 178 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:21,440 So, it's the owl's formidable memory, 179 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:23,400 combined with their sensitive vision, 180 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:26,680 that helps them take advantage of the night-time world. 181 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:39,680 At two weeks old, 182 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:41,800 Luna and Lily open their eyes... 183 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,640 ..but it's another few days before they can focus on anything. 184 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:56,320 OWLET PEEPS Yes! 185 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:58,560 Now at three and four weeks old, 186 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:00,800 they're starting to take in their surroundings. 187 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:03,880 THEY CHUCKLE 188 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:07,120 Oi, oi! Oi, oi! 189 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:08,720 ROSE LAUGHS 190 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:12,120 To encourage their development, 191 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:15,840 Lloyd and Rose take the owlets to meet the children at a local school. 192 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:17,720 Hello, everybody. CHILDREN: Hello. 193 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:19,080 Hello. 194 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:21,320 OK? 195 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:23,680 Well, this one here is Luna. 196 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:24,920 Luna? 197 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:26,600 Yes, and that's Lily. 198 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:31,040 I've got a pet rabbit called Lily. Have you? Have you? Ah! Oh! 199 00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:33,520 Her nice wing feathers are starting to grow now, you can see. 200 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:37,000 Yeah. I think they can fly but they can't. 201 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:39,640 No. You know why? Because they're still too small. 202 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:42,040 It's a unique opportunity for the children 203 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:44,080 to learn more about owls... 204 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:47,400 That is the egg that Lily hatched from. 205 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:50,560 ..and it's also clear how far the owlets have come. 206 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:54,440 So, when she hatched, only three weeks ago, 20 days ago, 207 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:56,480 she fitted in there. Look. 208 00:15:57,800 --> 00:15:59,920 She was smaller than her own head is now. 209 00:15:59,920 --> 00:16:02,840 Whoa, whoa, whoa. Isn't that amazing? 210 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:06,480 Now, who knows what's really clever about what owls can do? 211 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:09,360 They can see in the dark. That's it! Well done. 212 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:11,360 Now to be able to see at night, it's not easy, 213 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:13,720 but owls have very, very good eyes. 214 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:14,960 They're very clever birds. 215 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:18,120 Good night vision is probably the owl's best-known superpower. 216 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:20,840 There we are. What do you think? 217 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:23,080 She's as soft as cotton wool. She is! 218 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:26,720 But Luna was developing another one of her senses... 219 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:29,800 ..even before she hatched. 220 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:32,000 What do you think? Shall we check on its progress? 221 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:33,040 Let's have a look. 222 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:37,480 On occasions, if you call to 'em, if you chip to 'em, 223 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:40,960 they actually call back to you. I'll shush to him. 224 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,160 Shusssh. 225 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:44,800 OWLET CHEEPS 226 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:46,640 I heard it! Amazing. 227 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:50,040 Remarkably, owlets recognise the calls of their parents 228 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:51,920 even from inside the egg... Shusssh. 229 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:54,760 CHEEPING It's amazing! Did you hear it? 230 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:56,440 Tiny little "Chip, chip." 231 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:57,800 We'll put him back in, then. 232 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:01,080 ..which suggests sound must be an important part of their world. 233 00:17:05,120 --> 00:17:09,280 But just how important is hearing to adult owls in the wild? 234 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:18,240 At a disused aerodrome in Essex, 235 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:20,960 this barn owl is on the lookout for her next meal. 236 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:34,600 Cold weather, and a blanket of snow, have left her short of food, 237 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:37,200 so she's been forced to hunt in the day. 238 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:43,720 And now she's got competition... 239 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:46,560 ..a kestrel. 240 00:18:03,120 --> 00:18:06,640 It's one of the downsides of hunting during the daylight hours. 241 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:16,200 And, even worse, the snow means she can't see her prey. 242 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:21,280 So how do you find your food 243 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:23,160 when it's hiding out of sight? 244 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:36,520 Hunger forces the kestrel to take a chance... 245 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:44,720 ..but his razor sharp eyesight isn't enough in these conditions. 246 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:51,760 Luckily for the barn owl, she has another superpower in her armoury. 247 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:10,440 Flying blind won't stop her eating. 248 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:19,720 Because, although she can't see it, she can hear her prey, 249 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:21,440 even under the snow. 250 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:25,920 The kestrel simply doesn't have what it takes. 251 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:36,840 So how does an owl's extraordinary hearing work? 252 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:40,920 OWL HOOTS 253 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:44,760 Some owls have ear tufts... 254 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,480 ..but these feathers aren't used for hearing. 255 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:52,720 They're more about communicating mood. 256 00:19:55,560 --> 00:20:00,120 In fact, the owl's whole head is designed for listening. 257 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:06,000 Its distinctive round face is shaped like a satellite dish, 258 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:07,720 specifically to detect sound. 259 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:16,680 A ring of stiff feathers channel the sound towards the true ears, 260 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:20,320 which are hidden at the side of the face. 261 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:32,120 Some species of owl have one ear opening higher than the other. 262 00:20:34,360 --> 00:20:36,280 This unique adaptation 263 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:39,480 allows the owl to work out what height a sound is coming from, 264 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:40,880 as well as the direction. 265 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:45,080 Sound arriving at the left ear 266 00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:46,720 before it reaches the right, 267 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:48,960 tells the owl it's coming from below. 268 00:20:57,280 --> 00:21:00,200 At certain frequencies, an owl's hearing 269 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:02,320 is ten times more sensitive than ours. 270 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:10,920 This extraordinary skill 271 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:14,160 means this great grey owl can locate its prey... 272 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:19,840 ..even when it's out of sight. 273 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:39,640 Come on. 274 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:41,080 Shusssh. 275 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:42,800 Kensa. 276 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:45,440 Hearing is a key part of the owl's hunting strategy... 277 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:46,880 Kensa. 278 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:48,480 ..in any environment. 279 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:52,040 Shusssh. Good girl. Come on. 280 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:57,400 Lloyd and Rose have an 11-year-old barn owl called Kensa... 281 00:21:57,400 --> 00:21:58,840 Good girl. 282 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:02,080 ..who they've trained to hunt to the sound of a beeper box. 283 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:07,160 BEEPING 284 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:08,760 When she hears that beep, 285 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:11,240 Kensa knows exactly where to find her food. 286 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:15,200 But what about at night? 287 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:18,000 Just how much is she relying on her hearing then? 288 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:21,800 So, that can go here. 289 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:23,640 To find out, 290 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:25,640 Lloyd's made an indoor hunting ground. 291 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:29,120 So, we're going to put the beeper in there. 292 00:22:29,120 --> 00:22:30,120 Over to you, Rose. 293 00:22:30,120 --> 00:22:32,960 He wants to be certain Kensa's not using her sight. 294 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:35,600 I want to make it totally dark. 295 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:38,080 So he creates an artificial night. 296 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:43,720 OK, Rose? Yep. 297 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:45,560 Right, here we go. 298 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:46,640 Torch off. 299 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:49,240 OK, ready? 300 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:51,240 With our infrared cameras, 301 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:53,480 we can see what's going on, 302 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:56,880 but Lloyd, Rose and, importantly, Kensa 303 00:22:56,880 --> 00:22:59,160 are in total darkness. 304 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:01,320 KENSA HISSES Hold on, where is she? 305 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:03,640 She must be by me, by the sounds of it. 306 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:05,560 BEEPING 307 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:08,520 Sounds like she's under my feet somewhere. Shusssh. 308 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:10,760 KENSA CRIES 309 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:12,960 I can't hear, has she got it? 310 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:14,880 I don't know. Do you think she's got it? 311 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:16,240 Oh, my gosh, she's got it! 312 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:17,680 THEY LAUGH 313 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:19,680 Using only her hearing, 314 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:21,840 Kensa locks straight on to the beeper. 315 00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:23,000 BEEPING 316 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:25,760 That sounds good! 317 00:23:25,760 --> 00:23:28,400 I'll get me torch, hold on. Kensa. 318 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,280 Shusssh. Good girl, you clever owl. 319 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:33,520 Who needs eyes when you've got ears like that, eh? 320 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,160 But the owl's super-human hearing 321 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:40,400 is made even more effective by their party trick. 322 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:50,960 They can turn their head through an incredible 270 degrees. 323 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:55,200 If we did that, 324 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:58,480 we'd cut off the blood supply to our brains and pass out. 325 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:03,680 But owls have evolved special adaptations in their necks. 326 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:07,760 As their head turns, 327 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:10,280 wide spaces in the neck vertebrae 328 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:12,920 make sure the blood vessels don't get crushed... 329 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:18,200 ..and enlarged arteries at the top of the neck create a reservoir, 330 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:21,040 which keeps a constant supply of blood to the brain. 331 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:28,520 This astonishing flexibility allows the owl 332 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:32,200 to focus its super-sensitive vision and hearing... 333 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:33,880 directly at its prey. 334 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:03,080 In just two months, 335 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:05,320 there's been an amazing transformation. 336 00:25:08,560 --> 00:25:11,760 Luna and Lily have grown from helpless little chicks... 337 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:17,600 ..to near-adult barn owls. 338 00:25:22,120 --> 00:25:23,440 Now their fluffy down 339 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:24,800 is being pushed out 340 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:26,280 by proper flight feathers... 341 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:30,320 Ooh! Come on, then. 342 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:32,760 Shusssh. SHE CHUCKLES 343 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:35,200 ..which marks the arrival of the biggest milestone 344 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:37,120 in their young lives. 345 00:25:37,120 --> 00:25:38,640 Luna, come and get weighed. 346 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:40,440 Now Luna's started using her wings, 347 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:42,480 she's being slightly less cooperative 348 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:44,320 about her daily weigh-in. 349 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:46,960 Luna, I know you're hungry. 350 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:48,360 Come on, then. 351 00:25:48,360 --> 00:25:50,000 Come on, then. 352 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:52,280 Good girl. Now, steady. 353 00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:54,400 Don't go mad. 354 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:56,720 Steady, steady. 355 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:59,360 Good girl. That's it. 356 00:25:59,360 --> 00:26:01,400 Wahey! 357 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:04,640 Luna, you can fly! 358 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:08,720 Luna's very first flight starts with a leap of faith from the scales... 359 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:14,880 ..and now she's hop-flying every chance she can get... 360 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:20,520 ..leaving her younger sister to stare in wonder. 361 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:28,000 ROSE LAUGHS 362 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:29,560 She's on the tripod! 363 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:31,240 Oh, yeah, she might. 364 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:33,680 Mastering this new skill doesn't happen over night. 365 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:36,120 She might have another go, though. 366 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:45,240 But it's something she must get right, 367 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:48,360 as flight is perhaps an owl's greatest superpower. 368 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:51,560 Luna. 369 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:54,120 Don't fall in the bucket of water! 370 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:57,840 Ooh, you're seeing what water is. 371 00:26:57,840 --> 00:26:59,440 Is that interesting? 372 00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:02,920 Shusssh. Oop! 373 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:07,200 THEY LAUGH 374 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:11,040 I told you not to go in the bucket of water. 375 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:12,080 Oh, poor thing! 376 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:13,680 You'll get very wet. 377 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:15,960 I don't think you'll do that again in a hurry. 378 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:21,680 Luna and Lily are still spending the night in the house. 379 00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:29,760 Now Luna can fly, nowhere is out of bounds. 380 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:38,880 And her enthusiastic flight practice 381 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:40,520 is getting her into trouble. 382 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:45,360 Whoa! That's on the picture, Luna. 383 00:27:45,360 --> 00:27:46,920 THEY LAUGH 384 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:48,640 That bird! 385 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:50,280 But Luna's lucky. 386 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:53,800 A house is a relatively safe place to practise this vital skill. 387 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:04,040 In the wild, some owls face a monumental challenge. 388 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:11,360 Californian redwoods are giants of the forest, 389 00:28:11,360 --> 00:28:13,120 the tallest trees in the world. 390 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:18,480 And perched precariously at the top of this one 391 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:20,320 is a family of great grey owls. 392 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:32,720 It's a wonderfully safe place for a nest. 393 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:35,360 OWLET CRIES 394 00:28:35,360 --> 00:28:37,800 But when it comes to learning to fly, 395 00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:39,560 there are some obvious challenges. 396 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:52,920 Launching yourself off the equivalent of a 30-storey building 397 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:54,360 takes some courage. 398 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:07,400 Until they get the hang of it, 399 00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:09,680 these owlets rely on being able to cling on. 400 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:21,240 This is less flying, 401 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:23,080 more falling with style. 402 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:34,440 He makes it safely to the ground. 403 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:46,880 But they must keep practising, 404 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:49,680 so now it's a long hard climb 405 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:51,120 back to the top. 406 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:02,720 And it's not long before they have lift off. 407 00:30:12,640 --> 00:30:15,680 Although Lily's a week younger than Luna... 408 00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:17,960 SHE WHISTLES Whoo! 409 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:21,200 ..like any younger sibling, she's not going to be left behind. 410 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:23,600 You're a clever, clever, clever girl. 411 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:26,080 I know you're hungry. 412 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:29,120 Before long, she's progressed from flapping... 413 00:30:29,120 --> 00:30:30,520 to flying. 414 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:33,480 ROSE LAUGHS 415 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:36,800 Ah, that is so clever! 416 00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:40,000 The power of flight is something that sets birds apart. 417 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:41,800 SHE WHISTLES 418 00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:43,720 Lily! 419 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:45,360 Whoo! 420 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:48,000 And owls have refined their technique 421 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:50,040 with some incredible adaptations. 422 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:55,000 Ready? 423 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:56,920 You ready? Yep. 424 00:30:56,920 --> 00:30:58,560 Lily! 425 00:30:58,560 --> 00:30:59,760 Come on. 426 00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:03,600 To fully understand this superpower, we need to go back to basics. 427 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:04,760 Lily! 428 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:10,480 What does it take for Lily to get airborne? 429 00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:16,640 To find out, Lloyd and Rose have enlisted the help 430 00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:19,880 of bird expert Professor Graham Martin... 431 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:22,560 and high speed cameraman Mark Payne-Gill. 432 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:34,920 For a bird to take to the air, 433 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:37,480 it has to overcome two forces. 434 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:41,280 Gravity, 435 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:43,280 the invisible pull that keeps us grounded... 436 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:46,080 ..and drag, 437 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:48,200 which is the resistance we experience 438 00:31:48,200 --> 00:31:49,520 as we move through the air. 439 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:56,560 Birds use their wings to create lift... 440 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:57,880 and thrust. 441 00:32:03,560 --> 00:32:04,800 But how do they do it? 442 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:11,880 Birds' wings are the shape of an aerofoil. 443 00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:16,160 Air travelling over the top of the wing 444 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:19,200 has to travel faster than air travelling beneath. 445 00:32:20,840 --> 00:32:24,080 This creates a difference in air pressure, 446 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:25,720 which generates lift. 447 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:29,960 To gain forward momentum, 448 00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:31,720 birds flap their wings. 449 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:35,840 This makes the air flowing over them spiral off the trailing edge. 450 00:32:40,120 --> 00:32:41,680 These vortices 451 00:32:41,680 --> 00:32:44,480 thrust the bird forwards and upwards. 452 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:54,760 These are the basic principles of all flight. 453 00:32:57,200 --> 00:32:59,520 But what's so unique about the way owls fly? 454 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:05,720 We fly quite a few different types of bird... Yeah. 455 00:33:05,720 --> 00:33:07,560 ..of varying sizes. Yeah. 456 00:33:07,560 --> 00:33:09,760 But the one thing I notice about the owls 457 00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:12,040 is they always appear to be a lot slower 458 00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:14,080 when they're flying than the other birds. 459 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:16,280 Well, all birds have got different wing shapes 460 00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:18,040 and they can fly at different speeds - 461 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:19,720 it's just like aircraft. 462 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:22,160 So if you look at the wing size of a barn owl, 463 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:24,280 it's actually got a very big wing, 464 00:33:24,280 --> 00:33:26,840 and so they can fly very slow, very controlled. 465 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:33,520 To really understand the barn owl's slow flight, 466 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:37,120 Lloyd's putting Lily to the test against two of his other birds. 467 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:45,440 Maisie the greylag goose, 468 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:47,360 a long distance endurance flier... 469 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:53,040 ..and Moses the peregrine falcon - 470 00:33:53,040 --> 00:33:55,200 one of the fastest birds on earth. 471 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:10,960 The peregrine takes the lead. 472 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:13,560 Its long and pointed wings are quite flat, 473 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:16,240 designed for speed and manoeuvrability, 474 00:34:16,240 --> 00:34:17,800 which it needs to hunt. 475 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:22,200 The goose is next. 476 00:34:23,720 --> 00:34:25,960 Weighing three kilograms, 477 00:34:25,960 --> 00:34:29,800 its relatively short and narrow wings work hard to get it airborne, 478 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:32,440 but once up, it can sustain this for hours. 479 00:34:39,360 --> 00:34:43,000 The barn owl has the largest wings in relation to its body 480 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:45,440 and its aerofoil is very curved, 481 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:47,920 which generates a huge amount of lift. 482 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:52,520 So the barn owl can fly slower 483 00:34:52,520 --> 00:34:56,000 and with fewer wingbeats than most other birds. 484 00:34:56,000 --> 00:34:59,080 Whoo! Good girl. 485 00:35:00,680 --> 00:35:02,880 But why is that important? 486 00:35:02,880 --> 00:35:04,960 Sometimes when you're watching the owls fly, 487 00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:06,360 they go so slowly 488 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:09,240 it looks as if they're not going to be able to maintain flight. 489 00:35:09,240 --> 00:35:12,200 That's right. They are actually flying so slow 490 00:35:12,200 --> 00:35:14,320 that they're very, very close to stalling. 491 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:16,560 But, of course, that's what they need to do 492 00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:18,960 because when they're doing that very, very slow flight, 493 00:35:18,960 --> 00:35:21,200 they're hunting. 494 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:23,640 It may be just a little rustle in the grass, 495 00:35:23,640 --> 00:35:26,080 so they've got to be in a position to drop out the sky 496 00:35:26,080 --> 00:35:27,080 and investigate it. 497 00:35:31,440 --> 00:35:34,000 And get a nice, tasty vole. Absolutely, yeah. 498 00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:39,080 Owls have evolved a wing design 499 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:42,240 perfectly suited for their aerial hunting strategy. 500 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:47,000 Slow, yet deadly. 501 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:52,920 But the refinements don't stop there. 502 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:57,040 These birds have fine-tuned their flight 503 00:35:57,040 --> 00:35:59,400 so each species has subtle adaptations 504 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:01,000 for the environment it lives in. 505 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:07,720 Like the barn owl, 506 00:36:07,720 --> 00:36:11,360 these short-eared owls have very large, broad wings, 507 00:36:11,360 --> 00:36:14,840 ideal for flying slowly whilst hunting over open ground. 508 00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:21,960 Owls that live in woodland, like tawny owls, 509 00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:24,240 have shorter, more rounded wings 510 00:36:24,240 --> 00:36:26,400 to help them manoeuvre between trees. 511 00:36:31,320 --> 00:36:32,920 Wherever they live, 512 00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:35,360 all owls have an amazing aerial agility. 513 00:36:38,400 --> 00:36:41,120 They're even able to take off vertically from standing. 514 00:36:46,720 --> 00:36:48,120 It's a great defensive move, 515 00:36:48,120 --> 00:36:50,560 especially when you've got young to protect. 516 00:36:50,560 --> 00:36:51,760 SHARP BIRDCALL 517 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:54,640 SHARP BIRDCALL 518 00:37:02,360 --> 00:37:06,200 A dive-bombing arctic skua is no match for the snowy owl. 519 00:37:19,400 --> 00:37:22,760 Such mastery of the skies seems to make these owls fearless... 520 00:37:25,720 --> 00:37:28,680 ..even against one of the Arctic's largest predators. 521 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:36,120 OWL SHRIEKS 522 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:49,680 OWL SHRIEKS 523 00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:05,720 Her supreme flying skills drive the wolves away... 524 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:14,280 ..and her family is safe. 525 00:38:24,640 --> 00:38:27,160 Owls have one more amazing flying skill... 526 00:38:31,720 --> 00:38:33,960 ..and this one is totally unique. 527 00:38:37,840 --> 00:38:40,280 Floating across the meadow, 528 00:38:40,280 --> 00:38:42,680 the barn owl is ghost-like in appearance... 529 00:38:45,080 --> 00:38:47,160 ..and mysteriously quiet, too. 530 00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:52,840 But just how quiet is a hunting barn owl? 531 00:38:56,320 --> 00:38:57,680 Kensa. 532 00:38:57,680 --> 00:38:59,160 Shusssh. 533 00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:02,640 To find out, Lloyd's taken Kensa to a special studio... 534 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:06,480 ..where Graham... 535 00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:08,080 WINGBEATS 536 00:39:08,080 --> 00:39:11,560 ..and sound recordist Gary Moore are going to put her to the test. 537 00:39:16,000 --> 00:39:18,720 ..against Smudge the pigeon... 538 00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:22,720 ..and Moses the peregrine. 539 00:39:28,200 --> 00:39:29,840 The birds' challenge - 540 00:39:29,840 --> 00:39:33,080 to fly over a series of super-sensitive microphones. 541 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:34,440 ROSE WHISTLES 542 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:35,960 WINGBEATS 543 00:39:35,960 --> 00:39:37,360 Good girl. 544 00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:39,200 THEY MURMUR 545 00:39:39,200 --> 00:39:40,800 Moses. 546 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:41,800 Mo. 547 00:39:44,080 --> 00:39:45,600 WINGBEATS 548 00:39:48,840 --> 00:39:51,160 And now it's Kensa's turn. 549 00:39:52,960 --> 00:39:54,000 Shusssh. 550 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:55,840 Here we go! 551 00:39:55,840 --> 00:39:58,280 Shusssh. KENSA SHRIEKS 552 00:40:02,040 --> 00:40:03,680 KENSA SHRIEKS 553 00:40:03,680 --> 00:40:06,240 Did you hear anything? Wow, that was really good. 554 00:40:06,240 --> 00:40:08,840 No, nothing at all. Absolutely quiet. 555 00:40:08,840 --> 00:40:10,360 It was amazing! 556 00:40:11,680 --> 00:40:14,080 But what have the microphones picked up? 557 00:40:14,080 --> 00:40:16,160 TUB RATTLES 558 00:40:16,160 --> 00:40:19,200 The decibel waveforms show the sound being generated 559 00:40:19,200 --> 00:40:21,640 by the birds in flight. 560 00:40:21,640 --> 00:40:22,960 WINGBEATS 561 00:40:26,160 --> 00:40:29,000 Each spike is an individual wingbeat. 562 00:40:31,960 --> 00:40:33,400 THUD 563 00:40:35,840 --> 00:40:37,680 WINGBEATS 564 00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:46,280 THUD 565 00:40:52,800 --> 00:40:54,120 But with the barn owl... 566 00:40:56,560 --> 00:40:57,960 ..there's almost nothing. 567 00:41:00,640 --> 00:41:03,280 Even our array of super-sensitive microphones 568 00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:05,920 fail to pick up any sound of Kensa in flight. 569 00:41:05,920 --> 00:41:08,120 ..and here's the owl doing exactly the same. 570 00:41:08,120 --> 00:41:10,360 KENSA SHRIEKS 571 00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:15,960 KENSA SHRIEKS 572 00:41:17,280 --> 00:41:19,600 Nothing, nothing at all. 573 00:41:19,600 --> 00:41:21,280 I'll play it again. KENSA SHRIEKS 574 00:41:25,680 --> 00:41:27,640 KENSA SHRIEKS 575 00:41:27,640 --> 00:41:29,440 There's not a sound. Yes. 576 00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:31,520 That is really impressive, isn't it? 577 00:41:31,520 --> 00:41:34,240 Yes, it shows that they really are silent fliers. 578 00:41:35,720 --> 00:41:38,000 So how does a barn owl fly so silently? 579 00:41:44,480 --> 00:41:46,240 WINGBEATS 580 00:41:49,760 --> 00:41:53,080 When air moves, it generates sound. 581 00:41:58,720 --> 00:42:01,960 The more movement, the greater the sound. 582 00:42:05,840 --> 00:42:08,280 The pigeon's large body and small wings 583 00:42:08,280 --> 00:42:12,120 mean it can't stay airborne without a lot of fast flapping. 584 00:42:15,480 --> 00:42:19,240 This creates turbulence in the feathers below. 585 00:42:19,240 --> 00:42:21,280 WINGBEATS 586 00:42:24,520 --> 00:42:26,840 The peregrine has much larger wings, 587 00:42:26,840 --> 00:42:30,200 which it uses to build up speed and chase down its prey. 588 00:42:54,680 --> 00:42:56,800 The barn owl is far more graceful. 589 00:43:08,640 --> 00:43:11,440 Kensa's large wings and small body 590 00:43:11,440 --> 00:43:13,680 make it easier for her to generate lift. 591 00:43:19,160 --> 00:43:21,600 So, just one gentle wingbeat 592 00:43:21,600 --> 00:43:24,080 sees her gliding effortlessly through the air... 593 00:43:26,680 --> 00:43:30,120 ..creating little more than a whisper in the feathers below. 594 00:43:39,280 --> 00:43:41,120 But that's not the only thing 595 00:43:41,120 --> 00:43:44,360 that helps the barn owl achieve near-silent flight. 596 00:43:52,240 --> 00:43:55,000 Its flight feathers have noise-reducing fringes 597 00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:56,920 on the leading and trailing edges. 598 00:44:03,880 --> 00:44:06,080 And they have a velvet-like top to them. 599 00:44:09,040 --> 00:44:12,680 These soft surfaces absorb air movement, 600 00:44:12,680 --> 00:44:16,560 reducing any turbulence and minimising sound. 601 00:44:22,120 --> 00:44:23,960 Birds like pigeons and peregrines 602 00:44:23,960 --> 00:44:26,200 don't have these specialised features. 603 00:44:32,920 --> 00:44:35,120 So, why are they important for an owl? 604 00:44:36,640 --> 00:44:40,600 I suppose being able to fly so silently 605 00:44:40,600 --> 00:44:43,160 gives you two huge advantages over your prey. 606 00:44:43,160 --> 00:44:46,120 Not only on a dark night, if you were a vole, 607 00:44:46,120 --> 00:44:50,240 would you not hear your killer coming - you wouldn't hear it! 608 00:44:50,240 --> 00:44:53,920 Also, it allows the owl, I suppose, to pinpoint its prey 609 00:44:53,920 --> 00:44:56,600 without any interference from the noise of their wings. 610 00:44:56,600 --> 00:44:58,160 It doesn't want to hear itself 611 00:44:58,160 --> 00:45:00,720 as it's trying to home in on a very, very small sound. 612 00:45:00,720 --> 00:45:02,960 That's incredible, isn't it? Absolutely. 613 00:45:04,800 --> 00:45:07,640 Silent flight is possibly the greatest 614 00:45:07,640 --> 00:45:10,280 of all the owl's superpowers 615 00:45:10,280 --> 00:45:13,520 and it makes a huge difference to their hunting success. 616 00:45:16,160 --> 00:45:18,920 But, like every superpowered creature, 617 00:45:18,920 --> 00:45:21,440 owls have their kryptonite. 618 00:45:21,440 --> 00:45:22,920 THUNDER RUMBLES 619 00:45:27,520 --> 00:45:28,560 Rain. 620 00:45:38,720 --> 00:45:39,920 OWL CALLS 621 00:45:41,760 --> 00:45:45,400 This male, short-eared owl has a young family back at the nest. 622 00:45:47,240 --> 00:45:49,600 When it rains, they're all at risk. 623 00:45:55,560 --> 00:45:59,120 Because there's a price to pay for having silent feathers - 624 00:45:59,120 --> 00:46:01,440 they can't also be waterproof. 625 00:46:09,160 --> 00:46:10,520 The female hunkers down. 626 00:46:12,640 --> 00:46:16,080 She can't move, or her chicks will be at risk of hypothermia. 627 00:46:20,480 --> 00:46:22,360 The male is struggling, too. 628 00:46:24,840 --> 00:46:27,240 He can't hear his prey over the driving rain. 629 00:46:32,720 --> 00:46:35,400 So, today, his family will go hungry. 630 00:46:42,760 --> 00:46:44,840 Wet weather can be fatal for owls. 631 00:46:51,440 --> 00:46:55,080 It's one of the reasons some don't make it through their first winter. 632 00:47:10,560 --> 00:47:12,560 Learning to hunt for themselves 633 00:47:12,560 --> 00:47:14,600 is a challenge all young owls face 634 00:47:14,600 --> 00:47:16,400 if they're going to survive. 635 00:47:24,280 --> 00:47:26,960 Little owls fledge between four and five weeks. 636 00:47:29,200 --> 00:47:33,040 After this, their parents encourage them to fend for themselves. 637 00:47:37,760 --> 00:47:40,880 The adults usually hunt voles and other small mammals... 638 00:47:44,120 --> 00:47:47,680 ..but these pint-sized youngsters don't have the experience 639 00:47:47,680 --> 00:47:49,520 to take on such tricky prey. 640 00:47:58,440 --> 00:48:01,520 So, they start by practising on something a bit easier. 641 00:48:14,920 --> 00:48:17,640 Earthworms won't be enough to see them through the winter... 642 00:48:21,000 --> 00:48:23,800 ..but they're great for honing their hunting technique. 643 00:48:33,200 --> 00:48:34,600 As birds of prey, 644 00:48:34,600 --> 00:48:37,880 owls are defined by their habit for hunting small animals. 645 00:48:39,920 --> 00:48:42,920 Mastering the kill is a critical survival skill... 646 00:48:47,440 --> 00:48:48,840 ..but it's clearly not easy. 647 00:48:50,040 --> 00:48:52,640 So what exactly is it youngsters need to learn? 648 00:48:55,160 --> 00:48:57,920 To find out, Lloyd's brought Kensa 649 00:48:57,920 --> 00:49:01,040 to meet animal locomotion scientist Dr Jim Usherwood. 650 00:49:02,560 --> 00:49:06,520 Together they'll try to deconstruct the moment she pounces on her prey. 651 00:49:09,160 --> 00:49:10,760 In Jim's laboratory, 652 00:49:10,760 --> 00:49:13,040 they've created a mini hunting ground. 653 00:49:13,040 --> 00:49:14,440 That can go there. 654 00:49:14,440 --> 00:49:15,840 Got the beeper? 655 00:49:15,840 --> 00:49:19,280 They've hidden a beeper box and some food in the long grass. 656 00:49:19,280 --> 00:49:20,320 Right... 657 00:49:20,320 --> 00:49:22,360 And, concealed beneath the turf, 658 00:49:22,360 --> 00:49:26,000 is a special device that can measure the forces at work. 659 00:49:27,320 --> 00:49:28,640 BEEPING 660 00:49:36,080 --> 00:49:38,440 She's got it. There's a good girl. 661 00:49:41,840 --> 00:49:44,080 You clever old barn owl. 662 00:49:44,080 --> 00:49:48,520 How much force, then, does she exert on the pounce? 663 00:49:48,520 --> 00:49:51,600 So, here we have the vertical forces of the owl. 664 00:49:51,600 --> 00:49:54,400 And, so, there's the force of taking off, 665 00:49:54,400 --> 00:49:56,880 and then you see some fairly powerful flaps, 666 00:49:56,880 --> 00:49:59,320 and then she eases off the gas, 667 00:49:59,320 --> 00:50:02,200 uses gravity to come back down at speed, 668 00:50:02,200 --> 00:50:04,640 hits the ground at about five metres a second, 669 00:50:04,640 --> 00:50:08,240 with a force that's something like 12 times body weight. Wow. 670 00:50:13,160 --> 00:50:17,800 This is the moment an owl must bring all its superpowers together. 671 00:50:24,920 --> 00:50:27,640 Hanging silently in the air, 672 00:50:27,640 --> 00:50:30,800 Kensa uses her hearing and eyesight to find her target. 673 00:50:39,720 --> 00:50:42,160 She angles her face to pinpoint the sound. 674 00:50:47,960 --> 00:50:49,920 Once she's locked on, 675 00:50:49,920 --> 00:50:53,480 she positions her entire body for the pounce. 676 00:51:06,360 --> 00:51:08,320 And then, what I find really interesting, 677 00:51:08,320 --> 00:51:10,000 look, when she comes down, 678 00:51:10,000 --> 00:51:12,760 basically she's going headfirst towards the ground. 679 00:51:12,760 --> 00:51:15,600 And it's only now the legs come forwards. 680 00:51:15,600 --> 00:51:18,160 But the legs are still very, very bent, 681 00:51:18,160 --> 00:51:20,760 and, then, it's right at the very end the legs extend 682 00:51:20,760 --> 00:51:22,920 and then you get that thump. 683 00:51:22,920 --> 00:51:25,240 So, she's coming down at five metres a second. 684 00:51:25,240 --> 00:51:29,520 She's hitting the ground at around 12 times her body weight. 685 00:51:29,520 --> 00:51:31,240 Mm-hm. Which would make sense, 686 00:51:31,240 --> 00:51:34,480 because primarily she's hunting small mammals. 687 00:51:34,480 --> 00:51:37,040 So she wants to hit them with as much force as possible, 688 00:51:37,040 --> 00:51:39,040 to disable it and kill it. 689 00:51:39,040 --> 00:51:41,760 What I was thinking was those long legs would be useful 690 00:51:41,760 --> 00:51:43,480 to ease off the force - 691 00:51:43,480 --> 00:51:45,080 but she's not easing off at all. 692 00:51:45,080 --> 00:51:48,600 She's actually extending with her legs just as she hits the ground, 693 00:51:48,600 --> 00:51:50,120 then gives it a good old thump. 694 00:51:53,880 --> 00:51:57,960 To put this in perspective, the force of Kensa's pounce 695 00:51:57,960 --> 00:52:02,000 is the equivalent of a 12-tonne truck hitting an 80kg man. 696 00:52:05,240 --> 00:52:06,400 It's unlikely her prey 697 00:52:06,400 --> 00:52:07,920 would survive the impact. 698 00:52:09,440 --> 00:52:11,560 You wouldn't want to be a vole, would you, now? 699 00:52:11,560 --> 00:52:14,000 No, no. No, life as a vole would be brief. 700 00:52:14,000 --> 00:52:15,000 LLOYD LAUGHS 701 00:52:29,040 --> 00:52:32,240 The journey to mastering such finely-tuned superpowers 702 00:52:32,240 --> 00:52:33,280 starts early. 703 00:52:40,200 --> 00:52:43,480 It's now three months since Luna and Lily entered the world. 704 00:52:50,960 --> 00:52:54,120 They started to use their senses even before they hatched. 705 00:52:57,120 --> 00:52:58,280 Shusssh. 706 00:52:58,280 --> 00:52:59,920 OWLET CHEEPS 707 00:52:59,920 --> 00:53:02,920 I heard it! Amazing. 708 00:53:02,920 --> 00:53:05,200 First, their hearing. 709 00:53:08,000 --> 00:53:10,720 And then, within three weeks, 710 00:53:10,720 --> 00:53:13,760 they were using their eyesight to explore their surroundings. 711 00:53:19,000 --> 00:53:22,160 Their development was encouraged by Lloyd and Rose 712 00:53:22,160 --> 00:53:23,720 every step of the way. 713 00:53:23,720 --> 00:53:26,320 Who knows what's really clever about what owls can do? 714 00:53:26,320 --> 00:53:29,240 They can see in the dark. That's it! Well done. 715 00:53:30,560 --> 00:53:32,400 At just two months old, 716 00:53:32,400 --> 00:53:34,240 Luna and Lily started to fly. 717 00:53:35,720 --> 00:53:37,400 Wow! 718 00:53:38,920 --> 00:53:41,480 Whoa, that's on the picture, Luna. 719 00:53:51,680 --> 00:53:53,960 Now, at three months old, 720 00:53:53,960 --> 00:53:56,760 it's time to see if they can put it all together. 721 00:54:00,000 --> 00:54:01,240 Shusssh. 722 00:54:01,240 --> 00:54:02,880 Come on, Luna. 723 00:54:02,880 --> 00:54:03,880 Luna. 724 00:54:03,880 --> 00:54:04,880 ROSE LAUGHS 725 00:54:04,880 --> 00:54:06,120 Hello. 726 00:54:06,120 --> 00:54:09,440 Mind your feet! Lily, come here. 727 00:54:09,440 --> 00:54:11,200 Luna! 728 00:54:11,200 --> 00:54:12,760 Luna and Lily have grown up 729 00:54:12,760 --> 00:54:14,400 in an extraordinary family... 730 00:54:14,400 --> 00:54:16,480 Good girl. 731 00:54:16,480 --> 00:54:19,480 ..and become bold and confident birds. 732 00:54:19,480 --> 00:54:20,520 Lily! Yep. 733 00:54:22,760 --> 00:54:24,800 ROSE LAUGHS 734 00:54:24,800 --> 00:54:27,840 Luna, you're not meant to be on the camera. 735 00:54:27,840 --> 00:54:30,080 Lily! 736 00:54:30,080 --> 00:54:33,160 Good girl. Good girl, good girl! 737 00:54:33,160 --> 00:54:36,400 But despite their unusual upbringing, 738 00:54:36,400 --> 00:54:40,240 out in the meadow, their natural instincts kick in. 739 00:54:43,480 --> 00:54:47,360 They're hunting, just like adult barn owls, 740 00:54:47,360 --> 00:54:50,400 using all their superpowers of keen eyesight, 741 00:54:50,400 --> 00:54:52,440 extraordinary hearing 742 00:54:52,440 --> 00:54:54,440 and slow and silent flight. 743 00:54:57,920 --> 00:54:59,160 Shusssh. 744 00:54:59,160 --> 00:55:00,160 Good girl, come on. 745 00:55:02,000 --> 00:55:03,400 Nature has played its part... 746 00:55:03,400 --> 00:55:05,200 BEEPING 747 00:55:05,200 --> 00:55:06,680 Ooh, good girl. Got it? 748 00:55:06,680 --> 00:55:09,480 ..and Lloyd and Rose have done everything they can 749 00:55:09,480 --> 00:55:11,040 to get both birds to this moment. 750 00:55:11,040 --> 00:55:12,360 Got it stuck? 751 00:55:14,360 --> 00:55:15,440 There you go. 752 00:55:15,440 --> 00:55:19,440 But, while Lily continues to hone her skills living alongside them... 753 00:55:21,080 --> 00:55:24,160 ..there's been an unexpected twist to her sister's story. 754 00:55:31,640 --> 00:55:33,040 One evening, 755 00:55:33,040 --> 00:55:35,200 Luna flew off... 756 00:55:35,200 --> 00:55:36,920 and she didn't come back. 757 00:55:40,800 --> 00:55:44,280 For Lloyd, it only underlines her graduation 758 00:55:44,280 --> 00:55:46,440 from owlet to adult, 759 00:55:46,440 --> 00:55:50,120 reassuring him that he's equipped her with everything she needs 760 00:55:50,120 --> 00:55:51,760 for an independent life. 761 00:55:53,160 --> 00:55:56,320 I've given her all the skills that she needs to survive. 762 00:55:56,320 --> 00:55:59,200 I've been her parent. She's chosen to go - 763 00:55:59,200 --> 00:56:01,040 it's her choice - 764 00:56:01,040 --> 00:56:05,240 and we always say they've got that choice to stay or go. 765 00:56:05,240 --> 00:56:09,040 It's sad for me because you get really attached to them, 766 00:56:09,040 --> 00:56:12,480 but they don't have those trappings of human sentiments. 767 00:56:12,480 --> 00:56:14,720 She's just gone on to the wild to do her own thing. 768 00:56:22,400 --> 00:56:27,080 Now, more than ever, Luna will rely on those special skills 769 00:56:27,080 --> 00:56:28,520 that set owls apart. 770 00:57:02,840 --> 00:57:08,040 For centuries, these enchanting birds have captured our imagination. 771 00:57:15,040 --> 00:57:18,920 With their haunting calls and ghostly appearances, 772 00:57:18,920 --> 00:57:22,320 owls add a magic and mystery to our landscapes. 773 00:57:35,720 --> 00:57:38,760 Their charismatic faces are so familiar, 774 00:57:38,760 --> 00:57:41,240 perhaps because they look that bit more human 775 00:57:41,240 --> 00:57:42,440 than other birds. 776 00:57:55,720 --> 00:57:57,680 But it's their superpowers 777 00:57:57,680 --> 00:57:59,920 that make them one of the most successful 778 00:57:59,920 --> 00:58:02,200 and best-loved birds on our planet. 58479

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