From New Mexico Wildlife Center

Just how much of an owl’s silhouette is created by feathers? Most of it! A recent windy day gave us a peek under the surface of American Barn Owl Ambassador Corazón’s feathers. What you see on the top of her head is just the sandy-colored tips of her feathers, all layered together and slightly curved at the end. Underneath, you can see the full length of each feather and the way they create a dense, downy coat with surprising depth! Feathers provide very effective protection against the elements, especially the cold weather that we’ll start to see pretty soon. Many birds’ feathers also provide waterproofing protection, and the colors and patterns on feathers can be a great way for a bird to either blend in with their surroundings or stand out when they want a potential mate to notice them. For many owls, their unusually soft, velvety feathers also dampen the sounds created by their own body in flight, giving them the ability to fly silently!

Corazón is a medium-sized owl with a wingspan of almost 4 feet, but she’s light as a feather (well, many thousands of feathers, technically): she tips the scales at about 1.25 pounds! (567 grams)