Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Patient of the Week: Barred Owl

Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Patient of the Week: Barred Owl

Have you ever seen an owl’s ears? Some owl species, like the Eastern screech owl pictured here, have feather tufts on their heads, known as plumicorns (PLOO-mi-korn). They are often erroneously called “ears”, but their function has nothing to do with hearing. Plumicorns help with camouflage by breaking up the silhouette and they can also be used to communicate aggression, fear, and more. Continue reading Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Patient of the…