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Preening

A different image from the same sequence as my last post. Keeping the feathers of the facial disc in top condition helps to focus sound on the ears, critical for location of prey. Of all owls, an interesting adaptation that only the Barn Owl has is a pectinate claw - a comb like structure on the central forward talon: www.barnowltrust.org.uk/sitemap/galleries/barn-owl-anatom...

This handy little device is apparently one shared by Herons, Bitterns, Egrets and Nightjars.

 

Weymouth.

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Uploaded on July 16, 2017
Taken on July 14, 2017