There are over 250 species of owl.

They range in form from rugged giants that hunt fish to tiny long-legged critters that hide in underground holes and in habitats from frozen tundra to sun-baked desert. Many don’t fit the typical preconception of a silent nocturnal raptor.

How do they fly so silently? How far can they turn their heads? How do they sense the world around them and accurately catch prey without seeing it? How smart are they? What makes an owl an owl and how do some species diverge from the norm?