Taxidermy owls on a zip wire have helped determine why white barn owls can be more successful at startling their prey. Under a full moon the birds’ plumage triggers their prey to freeze for a longer ...

White barn owls scare the bejesus out of their rodent prey, making them easier to catch. Image Credit: Alexandre Roulin, University of Lausanne Share Being white can make it tough to blend in—if ...

Flying slowly and silently through the night sky, barn owls are majestic nocturnal hunters that successfully prey on rodents scurrying along the ground below. Scientists have long puzzled over a ...

Some nights are predestined to be mysterious and frightening. On such nights, we are alone in a park, forest, vaulted cellar, warehouse, or big old house, perhaps a castle. It’s so dark that we can ...

Russell has a PhD in the history of medicine, violence, and colonialism. His research has explored topics including ethics, science governance, and medical involvement in violent contexts. Russell has ...

Something about the light from a full moon shining on the frightening face of a barn owl makes voles freeze a bit too long. By James Gorman When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, it may not ...

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, it may not be amore at all. If you're a vole, it might be a ghostly white barn owl about to kill and eat you. Voles are a favorite meal for barn owls, ...

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