{"id":138287,"date":"2024-12-18T05:06:31","date_gmt":"2024-12-17T22:06:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=138287"},"modified":"2024-12-18T05:06:31","modified_gmt":"2024-12-17T22:06:31","slug":"barn-owls-camouflage-themselves-by-mimicking-the-moon-scientists-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=138287","title":{"rendered":"Barn owls camouflage themselves by mimicking the moon, scientists say"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-editable=\"content\" itemprop=\"articleBody\" data-reorderable=\"content\">\n<p data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/editor-note\/instances\/cm4sphorr0008356m0yvm04he@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"editor-note\" class=\"editor-note vossi-editor-note inline-placeholder \" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n    <em>Sign up for CNN\u2019s Wonder Theory science newsletter.\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/newsletters\/wonder-theory?source=nl-acq_article\"><em>Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more<\/em><\/a>.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n    <cite class=\"source__cite\"><br \/>\n      <span class=\"source__location\" data-editable=\"location\"\/><br \/>\n      <span class=\"source__text\" data-editable=\"source\">CNN<\/span><br \/>\n        \u00a0\u2014\u00a0<br \/>\n    <\/cite>\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4spgloa00812cnx2u8seb0q@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Flying slowly and silently through the night sky, barn owls are majestic nocturnal hunters that successfully prey on rodents scurrying along the ground below.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4src7pn000e356m3vbr5heg@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Scientists have long puzzled over a feature that would appear to handicap the bird during its midnight hunts. The plumage on its underbelly and wings is gleaming white, an unusual trait that in theory should make it more difficult for the owl to approach its prey undetected.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4src7pn000f356mjsn8ogcg@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Unlike the snowy owl, the barn owl lives at latitudes where it doesn\u2019t regularly snow. The barn owl\u2019s paradoxically bright plumage baffled<strong> <\/strong>biologist<strong> <\/strong>Juanjo Negro<strong> <\/strong>and his colleagues, who thought the intriguing biological phenomenon warranted further investigation.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4src7pn000g356m184i0p43@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cWe started from the intuitive feeling that the outstanding whiteness of the barn owl is so shocking that it should imply some adaptive advantage,\u201d said Negro, a research professor at Do\u00f1ana Biological Station\u2013Spanish National Research Council in Seville, Spain, via email.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4src7pn000h356mn2aox9k5@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41559-019-0967-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Previous research from September 2019<\/a> had suggested that bright white coloration was essentially a form of shock and awe, exploiting rodents\u2019 aversion to bright light. Making the predator more visible to the rodent prey, which freeze in fear, the owls\u2019 whiteness made voles easier to kill, the prior study found.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4src7pn000i356mmu0k8n4r@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Negro and his team\u2019s latest research suggests instead that the barn owl\u2019s brilliant white plumage is in fact a form of nocturnal camouflage or counter-illumination that gives the hunter an element of surprise.\n    <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cm4spifmr000a356md3t34v7m@published\" class=\"image image__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"P5301993.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{\" image--eq-extra-small=\"\" data-original-ratio=\"1\" data-original-height=\"2000\" data-original-width=\"2000\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/p5301993.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{\" image--eq-extra-small=\"\">\n       <picture class=\"image__picture\"><source height=\"2000\" width=\"2000\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/p5301993.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source height=\"2000\" width=\"2000\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/p5301993.jpg?q=w_1015,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source height=\"2000\" width=\"2000\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/p5301993.jpg?q=w_1160,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source height=\"2000\" width=\"2000\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/p5301993.jpg?q=w_680,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/p5301993.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill\" alt=\"The barn owl's white coloring allows the bird to approach its prey without being detected, according to a new study.\" class=\"image__dam-img image__dam-img--loading\" onload=\"this.classList.remove('image__dam-img--loading')\" onerror=\"imageLoadError(this)\" height=\"2000\" width=\"2000\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4srdlml000w356mhu6ut8xi@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            The bird\u2019s white reflective underside effectively mimics moonlight, according to the new study describing the team\u2019s findings that published in the journal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.2406808121\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PNAS<\/a> on Monday. The bright plumage allows its silhouette to blend into the nocturnal sky and makes it harder for mice or other rodents to spot the owl.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4srdlml000x356mot76mlqc@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cWhen the moon is visible, the sky has some brightness that varies depending on the observing direction. Under these conditions, a dark bird would be seen by its potential prey as a black silhouette against the sky,\u201d said Negro, the study\u2019s lead author. \u201cBut, if the ventral part of the bird is reflective enough, in other words if it is \u2018white\u2019 enough, it would reflect a good part of the moon.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4srdlml000y356mnm1hcciz@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            According to the researchers\u2019 calculations, the contrast between the reflective, white undersides of barn owls and wide areas of the illuminated night sky falls below the detection threshold of rodent visual acuity, allowing barn owls to approach prey to within a few meters from a broad range of directions without being detected.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4srdlml000z356md24qow7g@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cThis explanation has not been proposed before to justify the whiteness of barn owls,\u201d Negro added.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4srdlml0010356myvgviak2@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            A similar phenomenon exists in the ocean, where fish often have light-colored undersides to match sunlit water and make them less visible to predators hovering in the depths below.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4srdlml0011356mlxt9wz0d@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Not all barn owls have white underbellies, however; some have reddish-brown plumage instead.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4srdlml0012356mzgosycs9@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Negro said the research did not investigate hunting success in relation to plumage color, but earlier research had suggested that whiter barn owls were more efficient hunters than their darker counterparts during a full moon.\n    <\/p>\n<div data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cm4spiwo3000c356msqdqe4um@published\" class=\"image portrait image__hide-placeholder\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"shutterstock_editorial_5608780d.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{\" image--eq-extra-small=\"\" data-original-ratio=\"1.5005\" data-original-height=\"3001\" data-original-width=\"2000\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/shutterstock-editorial-5608780d.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{\" image--eq-extra-small=\"\">\n       <picture class=\"image__picture\"><source height=\"3001\" width=\"2000\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/shutterstock-editorial-5608780d.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source height=\"3001\" width=\"2000\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/shutterstock-editorial-5608780d.jpg?q=w_1015,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source height=\"3001\" width=\"2000\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/shutterstock-editorial-5608780d.jpg?q=w_1160,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source height=\"3001\" width=\"2000\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/shutterstock-editorial-5608780d.jpg?q=w_680,c_fill\/f_webp\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/shutterstock-editorial-5608780d.jpg?q=w_1110,c_fill\" alt=\"A barn owl shown here perches at night under a starry sky in Suffolk, UK.\" class=\"image__dam-img image__dam-img--loading\" onload=\"this.classList.remove('image__dam-img--loading')\" onerror=\"imageLoadError(this)\" height=\"3001\" width=\"2000\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4ss461b001l356mdrmlvkzc@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Barn owl expert <a href=\"https:\/\/barnowl-research.ch\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alexandre Roulin<\/a>, a professor of biology at the University of Lausanne\u2019s department of ecology and evolution who conducted the prior research that suggested the species\u2019 white coloration shocked and immobilized its prey, said he was not fully convinced by the new explanation. However, he said he couldn\u2019t rule it out.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4ss461b001m356mihmyqg24@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cWe do not wish to dismiss the authors\u2019 hypothesis outright. It may, in fact, be complementary to our own. Perhaps at long distances the white plumage aids in camouflage, while at closer range, it may serve to make the owl more visible,\u201d he said via email.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4ss461b001n356mnm9rlmy3@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            One key aspect Roulin said needed further explanation was the behavior of voles under moonlight.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4ss461b001o356my9u87oxo@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cWe observed that voles remained immobile longer when the approaching owl was white rather than reddish. Previous research has shown that this immobilization is an anti-predator response,\u201d Roulin said. \u201cBased on this, we would argue that the voles recognized the white owl as a predator, suggesting that the owl was visible, rather than camouflaged.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4ss461b001p356m5em07jtz@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Negro said the owl\u2019s ability to fly in complete silence, a trait that helps it approach prey in stealth, does not tally with the idea that the predator would want to make itself more visible. However, he agreed that the new hypothesis doesn\u2019t totally disprove the previous theory.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4ss461b001q356mndvavwmi@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            Camouflage is often considered a daytime phenomenon based on light and shade. Negro said that there are likely other forms of animal coloration that served as nighttime camouflage, which has not been as well studied as daytime concealment tactics.\n    <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cm4ss461b001r356maym9lvn8@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">\n            \u201cNocturnal ecology is an emerging field, and considering that half the animals in the planet are essentially nocturnal, adaptations to the natural cycles of the Moon are surely widespread,\u201d he said.\n    <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2024\/12\/17\/science\/barn-owl-nocturnal-camouflage-moonlight\/index.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sign up for CNN\u2019s Wonder Theory science newsletter.\u00a0Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. CNN \u00a0\u2014\u00a0 Flying slowly and silently through the night sky, barn &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=138287\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8628],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-138287","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-science","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138287","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=138287"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138287\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=138287"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=138287"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=138287"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}