Birds and birds are hunting: They scare their prey so much that they don't dare to move

The pig bird (also known as the barn owl) is a familiar name that we have heard so many times, with shuddering 'death predictions' . But strangely, apart from the name, the characteristics and customs of this bird are still a mystery that even the scientific community has not been able to fully understand.

Pigs are nocturnal animals that often occur in rural areas around the world. One of the most interesting characteristics in pig birds is the difference in their coat color: There are white feathers, and many are also crimson. And it took 20 years of research for scientists from the top universities in the world (Lund, Alexandre Roulin .) to discover that this very small difference can have a huge effect. to the bird's ability to hunt, especially on bright, full-moon nights.

Differences in coat color also affect pig hunting ability, especially on clear moonlit nights.

Accordingly, white-colored pig birds will be better able to reflect the moonlight , making their prey (usually rodents) panicked to the point of 'paralysis', unable to move in a single long time.

How does the change of the moonlight affect the bird's ability to hunt?

The moon's cycle has a great influence on the brightness of the moonlight at night. People living in the countryside, in areas without street lights, will feel this more clearly: On waning nights, you can hardly confidently walk on the street without carrying a flashlight or anything. have the ability to glow. On full moon nights the opposite. So how will pig birds have to adapt to these cyclical changes? Do they need to adjust their hunting tactics?

White-haired pig birds are easily spotted by their prey during moonlit nights because of their extremely good moonlight reflection.

Scientists have always believed that on full moon nights, rodents, typically rats, will be more likely to spot pig birds thanks to the bright moonlight. White-haired pig birds will be even more difficult, as their plumage reflects light much better than their crimson counterparts.

But the results of their 20-year study proved just the opposite.

The prey clearly saw what it was like, the white-haired pig birds had a way of taking advantage of the moonlight and made them stand still and wait to die.

Based on the 24/7 surveillance camera system and advanced GPS devices, scientists have been able to track the hunting and breeding behavior of the white and crimson pig in the past 20 years. . With the vast database of data collected, they concluded that: On bright moonlit nights, crimson piggies will have worse hunting performance, resulting in a shortage of food to feed their children, and The weakest offspring will hardly survive long. With white-haired pig birds different, whether the moonlight was clear or dim, they were still great predators.

Take for example from the case of hamsters. When the full moon is bright, hamsters are able to recognize the appearance of pig birds regardless of their coat color. However, instead of fleeing, seeking hideout, one of the tactics they often apply is . standing still , hoping predators will not see themselves and wait for the danger to pass.

"I have successfully cultivated the skill of standing motionless, so immobilized that I became invisible to others."

And it was from this strange behavior that scientists observed on full moon nights that when faced with white-haired pig-birds, the hamsters would tend to be more immobile than they would when they encountered them. red fur species. Not that they want it. Simply because they really can't move. From the active stand still as a hidden tactic, the hamsters are now so scared that they do not dare move and could be grabbed by pig swooping down at any time.

More specifically, hamsters are afraid of the bright moonlight reflected from the white plumage of pig birds. According to pharmacists, to prepare sedatives, they have conducted experiments on the fear level of many rodents for intense light intensity. It is this weakness that has been successfully captured and exploited by white-haired pig birds, turning its weakness (unable to hide in bright environments) into a powerful hunting weapon.

1. Pigs and birds call for death: Explained on a scientific basis