Incredible extent of owls’ stealth uncovered by study

Owls are equipped with state-of-the-art stealth technology to help them swoop on prey undetected, a study has shown.

The night hunters have feathers that absorb aerodynamic sound and suppress the vibrations that occur when a bird flaps its wings.

During flight, an owl’s feathers extract mechanical energy and convert it into heat. The result is perfect silence as the bird approaches to within inches of a mouse or vole.