How Do Owls Fly Silently?

The leading edge of an owl's flight feathers has a comb of stiff serrations that break the oncoming air into smaller swirls. The trailing edge has a soft fringe that further smooths airflow leaving the wing. The upper surface of the feathers has a velvety texture that muffles the rubbing sound of feathers against each other. Owls also have large wings relative to their body weight, so they can glide slowly without much flapping. This silence lets them hear prey while hunting and approach without being detected.