White barn owls may use moonlight to startle prey

Astrobitica June 23, 2026 (Last updated: June 23, 2026) 1 minute read

White barn owls are effective killing machines that fly silently through the night and swoop down on prey with sharp talons. Their white feathers, which may seem to hinder their stealth, could glow in the moonlight.

White barn owls are effective killing machines. They fly silently through the night air and swoop down on unsuspecting prey with their sharp talons. But they have something you would think goes against being a stealth predator: their white feathers. And perhaps this visual giveaway would be even worse when they glow in the moonlight.