0:00:14 > 0:00:17They can find prey without ever seeing it.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21They can fly as silent as a ghost...
0:00:24 > 0:00:26..and they can even see in the dark.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37Owls have what appear to be genuine super-powers.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42To understand their amazing abilities,
0:00:42 > 0:00:45we're going to get closer than ever before.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49Meet Luna and Lily.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Through the eyes of these fluffy little barn owl chicks...
0:00:55 > 0:00:56- WOMAN:- You can fly!
0:00:56 > 0:00:58..and their extraordinary family,
0:00:58 > 0:01:03we'll reveal the magic behind these mysterious birds.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08- You wouldn't want to be a vole now, would you?- No.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10No, life as a vole would be brief.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13And working with some of the world's leading scientists...
0:01:13 > 0:01:17- There's not a sound. That is really impressive, isn't it?- Yup.
0:01:17 > 0:01:22..we'll find out what gives owls their super-powered edge.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Owls live all over the world...
0:01:51 > 0:01:53..from the frozen north...
0:01:55 > 0:01:57..to scorched deserts.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04With their familiar faces, these charismatic birds
0:02:04 > 0:02:06have captured our imagination.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13There are about 240 different species...
0:02:15 > 0:02:18..and they appear to have conquered our planet.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24They live on every continent, except Antarctica.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28So, what are the secrets of their success?
0:02:30 > 0:02:31Owls are birds of prey.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37Like their cousins, the hawks, eagles, and falcons,
0:02:37 > 0:02:38they have sharp talons...
0:02:40 > 0:02:42..a curved beak
0:02:42 > 0:02:44and a taste for small mammals.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51But they also have a unique set of skills that set them apart.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55Their superpowers.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01To find out more,
0:03:01 > 0:03:03we need to go beneath the surface...
0:03:16 > 0:03:19..and start at the very beginning...
0:03:23 > 0:03:26..when all of the potential for this remarkable bird
0:03:26 > 0:03:30is held in one tiny egg.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35After 30 days of incubation,
0:03:35 > 0:03:38the chick inside is ready to make an appearance.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43But it's a tough task. It can take 48 hours for an owlet
0:03:43 > 0:03:45to break out of its protective shell.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47What are you up to in there?
0:03:47 > 0:03:50You coming out yet, little one? Eh?
0:03:52 > 0:03:55Anxiously waiting in the incubation room
0:03:55 > 0:03:57is an unusual father for a bird.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03I saw you move then, I saw the egg move.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05HE LAUGHS
0:04:05 > 0:04:06You moved!
0:04:11 > 0:04:16Lloyd Buck has been fascinated with owls since he was young.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Now he and his wife Rose have a whole family of birds,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30including a barn owl called Kensa...
0:04:32 > 0:04:34..Johanna the Tawny Owl...
0:04:34 > 0:04:36Good girl.
0:04:36 > 0:04:37..Arnie,
0:04:37 > 0:04:39Bran,
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Moses,
0:04:41 > 0:04:43PJ...
0:04:43 > 0:04:45and Sasha the tawny eagle.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50Lloyd and Rose love and care for their birds
0:04:50 > 0:04:52like their own children.
0:04:52 > 0:04:53Good boys, come on then.
0:04:53 > 0:04:54Whoo!
0:04:54 > 0:04:56They also train them to star in films.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09We've got a little pellet.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12They have a passion for educating others about birds
0:05:12 > 0:05:15and the importance of protecting them in the wild.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32Through the eyes of this special family,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35we're going to learn more about the owl's mysterious world.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Lloyd and Rose are going to put their own birds to the test...
0:05:44 > 0:05:47..and, this year, they're expecting some new arrivals...
0:05:50 > 0:05:51..two barn owl chicks.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58- Hiya. How's it going, Lloyd? - Well, it's all right.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00The eggs are being incubated by experts
0:06:00 > 0:06:05at the Hawk Conservancy Trust, a specialist bird conservation centre.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09He's already started to pip. There's a little bit of movement.
0:06:09 > 0:06:10Can you see the movement?
0:06:11 > 0:06:13Look at that!
0:06:13 > 0:06:17Mike Riley and his team make regular checks on their progress.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20- We'll put her back in now. - Yeah, yeah.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22The first is nearly ready to hatch.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33It's almost two days since the owlet inside
0:06:33 > 0:06:35made her first pip on the shell.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38Come on, little one.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40Now she's exhausted...
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Go on. What you doing?
0:06:44 > 0:06:45Get out.
0:06:45 > 0:06:46..and running out of oxygen.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51One more big push and you're out!
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Ooh, there you are!
0:06:59 > 0:07:00Hello.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04You've done well, little one, eh?
0:07:05 > 0:07:09That must have been a huge effort, wasn't it? To get out of there.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13See, it's easy to take it for granted when you're here.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17But, actually, it's a really wondrous thing to see new life
0:07:17 > 0:07:20to come into the world, there's something really special
0:07:20 > 0:07:22about that. Really special.
0:07:25 > 0:07:30Mind you, saying that, they're not the prettiest of owlets, are they?
0:07:32 > 0:07:35This chick and her younger sibling
0:07:35 > 0:07:38have come from a pair of captive barn owls.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40OWLET SQUEAK
0:07:40 > 0:07:44As they grow, they'll give us a rare and incredible opportunity
0:07:44 > 0:07:47to learn more about these secretive birds.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52We've already thought of a name, which is Luna.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56We always tend to give our birds names
0:07:56 > 0:07:58because they become part of the family.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12With Lloyd's love and care, Luna grows quickly.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19And, just six days later, she meets her younger sister.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Lloyd and Rose call her Lily.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37Once the owlets are strong enough, it's time to bring them home.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41- Hello!- Hello!
0:08:41 > 0:08:43SHE LAUGHS
0:08:43 > 0:08:46All right? There you are.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48SHE LAUGHS
0:08:49 > 0:08:53They're so cute.
0:08:58 > 0:08:59Come on, then.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03During these early days and weeks, Lloyd and Rose need to give
0:09:03 > 0:09:06Luna and Lily round the clock attention.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09Go on. Delicious!
0:09:09 > 0:09:13'When they hatch, they're blind, completely helpless'
0:09:13 > 0:09:16they can't even regulate their own body temperature,
0:09:16 > 0:09:17and they need four feeds a day.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21'It's just like babies, really.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23'But you've taken on the responsibility'
0:09:23 > 0:09:25so you just have to get on with it.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33The Owlets have a long way to go before they transform
0:09:33 > 0:09:35into magnificent super-powered owls.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41Now, shall we write down what you did today, eh?
0:09:41 > 0:09:43Nature will play its part,
0:09:43 > 0:09:48but, right now, they're entirely dependent on Lloyd and Rose.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58By the evening, everyone's exhausted.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06But in the wild, this is the time when most owls are waking up.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09OWL HOOTS
0:10:13 > 0:10:15The tawny owl haunts our nights.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22But why choose to live in this dark and difficult time of day?
0:10:23 > 0:10:25OWL CALLS
0:10:28 > 0:10:31With the help of a special heat-seeking camera,
0:10:31 > 0:10:33we can enter this hidden, nocturnal world.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40It's springtime in the Highlands of Scotland.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46At this time of year, male owls are feeling the pressure.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53This one has a family of hungry mouths to feed in a nearby nest box.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58The thermal camera reveals something else.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04Many mammals are active at night.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15So, despite the dark,
0:11:15 > 0:11:17it's an ideal time to go hunting.
0:11:25 > 0:11:26Success.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35The female comes straight over to collect the catch.
0:11:42 > 0:11:43Her owlets are a month old,
0:11:43 > 0:11:45with a growing appetite.
0:11:48 > 0:11:49One mouse won't be enough.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56But luckily there's plenty more where that came from.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04No other bird of prey can hunt in such darkness.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08So, at night,
0:12:08 > 0:12:11owls have the skies to themselves.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15It's one of the keys to their success.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21But how are they able to see in the dark?
0:12:27 > 0:12:32This is where owls deploy the first of their superpowers.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37Owls have characteristically big eyes.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44A tawny owl's eyes take up a staggering 70% of its skull.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53For us, it's only 5%.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00These large eyes enable the owl
0:13:00 > 0:13:03to gather as much of the available light as possible.
0:13:06 > 0:13:07At the back of the eye,
0:13:07 > 0:13:12the retina has a particularly high density of rod cells.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16These cells are extremely sensitive in low light,
0:13:16 > 0:13:18capable of resolving
0:13:18 > 0:13:20an extra layer of detail,
0:13:20 > 0:13:22which is sent to the brain
0:13:22 > 0:13:23via the optic nerve.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32These special adaptations mean a tawny owl can see an image
0:13:32 > 0:13:35two and a half times brighter than the one we see...
0:13:41 > 0:13:45..which helps it target small mammals lurking in dark undergrowth.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54But tawny owls have another incredible skill.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00They're territorial birds,
0:14:00 > 0:14:03and, as they fly around their home range,
0:14:03 > 0:14:05they create a mental map.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12This means they can find their way in the dark,
0:14:12 > 0:14:13avoiding unseen obstacles.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21So, it's the owl's formidable memory,
0:14:21 > 0:14:23combined with their sensitive vision,
0:14:23 > 0:14:26that helps them take advantage of the night-time world.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39At two weeks old,
0:14:39 > 0:14:41Luna and Lily open their eyes...
0:14:46 > 0:14:49..but it's another few days before they can focus on anything.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55- OWLET PEEPS - Yes!
0:14:55 > 0:14:58Now at three and four weeks old,
0:14:58 > 0:15:00they're starting to take in their surroundings.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03THEY CHUCKLE
0:15:04 > 0:15:06- Oi, oi!- Oi, oi!
0:15:06 > 0:15:08ROSE LAUGHS
0:15:08 > 0:15:11To encourage their development,
0:15:11 > 0:15:15Lloyd and Rose take the owlets to meet the children at a local school.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17- Hello, everybody. CHILDREN:- Hello.
0:15:17 > 0:15:18Hello.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21OK?
0:15:21 > 0:15:23Well, this one here is Luna.
0:15:23 > 0:15:24Luna?
0:15:24 > 0:15:26Yes, and that's Lily.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30- I've got a pet rabbit called Lily. - Have you?- Have you? Ah!- Oh!
0:15:30 > 0:15:33Her nice wing feathers are starting to grow now, you can see.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Yeah. I think they can fly but they can't.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39No. You know why? Because they're still too small.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41It's a unique opportunity for the children
0:15:41 > 0:15:43to learn more about owls...
0:15:43 > 0:15:46That is the egg that Lily hatched from.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50..and it's also clear how far the owlets have come.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54So, when she hatched, only three weeks ago, 20 days ago,
0:15:54 > 0:15:56she fitted in there. Look.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59She was smaller than her own head is now.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02- Whoa, whoa, whoa. - Isn't that amazing?
0:16:02 > 0:16:06Now, who knows what's really clever about what owls can do?
0:16:06 > 0:16:09- They can see in the dark. - That's it! Well done.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11Now to be able to see at night, it's not easy,
0:16:11 > 0:16:13but owls have very, very good eyes.
0:16:13 > 0:16:14They're very clever birds.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17Good night vision is probably the owl's best-known superpower.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20There we are. What do you think?
0:16:20 > 0:16:22- She's as soft as cotton wool. - She is!
0:16:22 > 0:16:26But Luna was developing another one of her senses...
0:16:27 > 0:16:29..even before she hatched.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31- What do you think? - Shall we check on its progress?
0:16:31 > 0:16:32Let's have a look.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37On occasions, if you call to 'em, if you chip to 'em,
0:16:37 > 0:16:40they actually call back to you. I'll shush to him.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42Shusssh.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44OWLET CHEEPS
0:16:44 > 0:16:46I heard it! Amazing.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49Remarkably, owlets recognise the calls of their parents
0:16:49 > 0:16:51- even from inside the egg... - Shusssh.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54- CHEEPING It's amazing!- Did you hear it?
0:16:54 > 0:16:56Tiny little "Chip, chip."
0:16:56 > 0:16:57We'll put him back in, then.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00..which suggests sound must be an important part of their world.
0:17:04 > 0:17:09But just how important is hearing to adult owls in the wild?
0:17:15 > 0:17:17At a disused aerodrome in Essex,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20this barn owl is on the lookout for her next meal.
0:17:29 > 0:17:34Cold weather, and a blanket of snow, have left her short of food,
0:17:34 > 0:17:36so she's been forced to hunt in the day.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43And now she's got competition...
0:17:45 > 0:17:46..a kestrel.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06It's one of the downsides of hunting during the daylight hours.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16And, even worse, the snow means she can't see her prey.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21So how do you find your food
0:18:21 > 0:18:22when it's hiding out of sight?
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Hunger forces the kestrel to take a chance...
0:18:40 > 0:18:44..but his razor sharp eyesight isn't enough in these conditions.
0:18:46 > 0:18:51Luckily for the barn owl, she has another superpower in her armoury.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10Flying blind won't stop her eating.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19Because, although she can't see it, she can hear her prey,
0:19:19 > 0:19:21even under the snow.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25The kestrel simply doesn't have what it takes.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36So how does an owl's extraordinary hearing work?
0:19:39 > 0:19:40OWL HOOTS
0:19:42 > 0:19:44Some owls have ear tufts...
0:19:45 > 0:19:48..but these feathers aren't used for hearing.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52They're more about communicating mood.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59In fact, the owl's whole head is designed for listening.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05Its distinctive round face is shaped like a satellite dish,
0:20:05 > 0:20:07specifically to detect sound.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16A ring of stiff feathers channel the sound towards the true ears,
0:20:16 > 0:20:20which are hidden at the side of the face.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Some species of owl have one ear opening higher than the other.
0:20:34 > 0:20:35This unique adaptation
0:20:35 > 0:20:39allows the owl to work out what height a sound is coming from,
0:20:39 > 0:20:40as well as the direction.
0:20:43 > 0:20:44Sound arriving at the left ear
0:20:44 > 0:20:46before it reaches the right,
0:20:46 > 0:20:48tells the owl it's coming from below.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59At certain frequencies, an owl's hearing
0:20:59 > 0:21:02is ten times more sensitive than ours.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10This extraordinary skill
0:21:10 > 0:21:13means this great grey owl can locate its prey...
0:21:17 > 0:21:19..even when it's out of sight.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Come on.
0:21:39 > 0:21:40Shusssh.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Kensa.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45Hearing is a key part of the owl's hunting strategy...
0:21:45 > 0:21:46Kensa.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48..in any environment.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51Shusssh. Good girl. Come on.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57Lloyd and Rose have an 11-year-old barn owl called Kensa...
0:21:57 > 0:21:58Good girl.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01..who they've trained to hunt to the sound of a beeper box.
0:22:05 > 0:22:06BEEPING
0:22:06 > 0:22:08When she hears that beep,
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Kensa knows exactly where to find her food.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14But what about at night?
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Just how much is she relying on her hearing then?
0:22:18 > 0:22:21So, that can go here.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23To find out,
0:22:23 > 0:22:25Lloyd's made an indoor hunting ground.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28So, we're going to put the beeper in there.
0:22:28 > 0:22:29Over to you, Rose.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32He wants to be certain Kensa's not using her sight.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35I want to make it totally dark.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37So he creates an artificial night.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43- OK, Rose?- Yep.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45Right, here we go.
0:22:45 > 0:22:46Torch off.
0:22:47 > 0:22:48OK, ready?
0:22:48 > 0:22:50With our infrared cameras,
0:22:50 > 0:22:53we can see what's going on,
0:22:53 > 0:22:56but Lloyd, Rose and, importantly, Kensa
0:22:56 > 0:22:58are in total darkness.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00KENSA HISSES Hold on, where is she?
0:23:00 > 0:23:03She must be by me, by the sounds of it.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05BEEPING
0:23:05 > 0:23:08- Sounds like she's under my feet somewhere.- Shusssh.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10KENSA CRIES
0:23:10 > 0:23:12I can't hear, has she got it?
0:23:12 > 0:23:14- I don't know. - Do you think she's got it?
0:23:14 > 0:23:15Oh, my gosh, she's got it!
0:23:15 > 0:23:17THEY LAUGH
0:23:17 > 0:23:19Using only her hearing,
0:23:19 > 0:23:21Kensa locks straight on to the beeper.
0:23:21 > 0:23:22BEEPING
0:23:23 > 0:23:25That sounds good!
0:23:25 > 0:23:28I'll get me torch, hold on. Kensa.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Shusssh. Good girl, you clever owl.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33Who needs eyes when you've got ears like that, eh?
0:23:34 > 0:23:36But the owl's super-human hearing
0:23:36 > 0:23:40is made even more effective by their party trick.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50They can turn their head through an incredible 270 degrees.
0:23:53 > 0:23:54If we did that,
0:23:54 > 0:23:58we'd cut off the blood supply to our brains and pass out.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03But owls have evolved special adaptations in their necks.
0:24:06 > 0:24:07As their head turns,
0:24:07 > 0:24:09wide spaces in the neck vertebrae
0:24:09 > 0:24:12make sure the blood vessels don't get crushed...
0:24:13 > 0:24:17..and enlarged arteries at the top of the neck create a reservoir,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20which keeps a constant supply of blood to the brain.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28This astonishing flexibility allows the owl
0:24:28 > 0:24:31to focus its super-sensitive vision and hearing...
0:24:31 > 0:24:33directly at its prey.
0:25:01 > 0:25:02In just two months,
0:25:02 > 0:25:05there's been an amazing transformation.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11Luna and Lily have grown from helpless little chicks...
0:25:15 > 0:25:17..to near-adult barn owls.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23Now their fluffy down
0:25:23 > 0:25:24is being pushed out
0:25:24 > 0:25:26by proper flight feathers...
0:25:28 > 0:25:29Ooh! Come on, then.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32- Shusssh. - SHE CHUCKLES
0:25:32 > 0:25:34..which marks the arrival of the biggest milestone
0:25:34 > 0:25:36in their young lives.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Luna, come and get weighed.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Now Luna's started using her wings,
0:25:40 > 0:25:42she's being slightly less cooperative
0:25:42 > 0:25:43about her daily weigh-in.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46Luna, I know you're hungry.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Come on, then.
0:25:48 > 0:25:49Come on, then.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51Good girl. Now, steady.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54Don't go mad.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56Steady, steady.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59Good girl. That's it.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01Wahey!
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Luna, you can fly!
0:26:04 > 0:26:08Luna's very first flight starts with a leap of faith from the scales...
0:26:11 > 0:26:14..and now she's hop-flying every chance she can get...
0:26:17 > 0:26:20..leaving her younger sister to stare in wonder.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27ROSE LAUGHS
0:26:27 > 0:26:29She's on the tripod!
0:26:29 > 0:26:30Oh, yeah, she might.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Mastering this new skill doesn't happen over night.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35She might have another go, though.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44But it's something she must get right,
0:26:44 > 0:26:48as flight is perhaps an owl's greatest superpower.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51Luna.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53Don't fall in the bucket of water!
0:26:55 > 0:26:57Ooh, you're seeing what water is.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59Is that interesting?
0:27:01 > 0:27:02Shusssh. Oop!
0:27:05 > 0:27:06THEY LAUGH
0:27:06 > 0:27:10I told you not to go in the bucket of water.
0:27:10 > 0:27:11Oh, poor thing!
0:27:11 > 0:27:13You'll get very wet.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15I don't think you'll do that again in a hurry.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21Luna and Lily are still spending the night in the house.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29Now Luna can fly, nowhere is out of bounds.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38And her enthusiastic flight practice
0:27:38 > 0:27:40is getting her into trouble.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44Whoa! That's on the picture, Luna.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46THEY LAUGH
0:27:46 > 0:27:48That bird!
0:27:48 > 0:27:49But Luna's lucky.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53A house is a relatively safe place to practise this vital skill.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03In the wild, some owls face a monumental challenge.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11Californian redwoods are giants of the forest,
0:28:11 > 0:28:12the tallest trees in the world.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18And perched precariously at the top of this one
0:28:18 > 0:28:20is a family of great grey owls.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32It's a wonderfully safe place for a nest.
0:28:33 > 0:28:34OWLET CRIES
0:28:34 > 0:28:37But when it comes to learning to fly,
0:28:37 > 0:28:39there are some obvious challenges.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52Launching yourself off the equivalent of a 30-storey building
0:28:52 > 0:28:54takes some courage.
0:29:05 > 0:29:06Until they get the hang of it,
0:29:06 > 0:29:09these owlets rely on being able to cling on.
0:29:19 > 0:29:20This is less flying,
0:29:20 > 0:29:22more falling with style.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33He makes it safely to the ground.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46But they must keep practising,
0:29:46 > 0:29:49so now it's a long hard climb
0:29:49 > 0:29:50back to the top.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02And it's not long before they have lift off.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15Although Lily's a week younger than Luna...
0:30:15 > 0:30:17- SHE WHISTLES - Whoo!
0:30:17 > 0:30:20..like any younger sibling, she's not going to be left behind.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23You're a clever, clever, clever girl.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25I know you're hungry.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28Before long, she's progressed from flapping...
0:30:28 > 0:30:30to flying.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33ROSE LAUGHS
0:30:33 > 0:30:36Ah, that is so clever!
0:30:36 > 0:30:39The power of flight is something that sets birds apart.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41SHE WHISTLES
0:30:41 > 0:30:43Lily!
0:30:43 > 0:30:44Whoo!
0:30:44 > 0:30:47And owls have refined their technique
0:30:47 > 0:30:49with some incredible adaptations.
0:30:53 > 0:30:54Ready?
0:30:54 > 0:30:56- You ready?- Yep.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58Lily!
0:30:58 > 0:30:59Come on.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03To fully understand this superpower, we need to go back to basics.
0:31:03 > 0:31:04Lily!
0:31:07 > 0:31:10What does it take for Lily to get airborne?
0:31:12 > 0:31:16To find out, Lloyd and Rose have enlisted the help
0:31:16 > 0:31:19of bird expert Professor Graham Martin...
0:31:19 > 0:31:22and high speed cameraman Mark Payne-Gill.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34For a bird to take to the air,
0:31:34 > 0:31:37it has to overcome two forces.
0:31:39 > 0:31:40Gravity,
0:31:40 > 0:31:43the invisible pull that keeps us grounded...
0:31:44 > 0:31:45..and drag,
0:31:45 > 0:31:47which is the resistance we experience
0:31:47 > 0:31:49as we move through the air.
0:31:52 > 0:31:56Birds use their wings to create lift...
0:31:56 > 0:31:57and thrust.
0:32:03 > 0:32:04But how do they do it?
0:32:08 > 0:32:11Birds' wings are the shape of an aerofoil.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15Air travelling over the top of the wing
0:32:15 > 0:32:18has to travel faster than air travelling beneath.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23This creates a difference in air pressure,
0:32:23 > 0:32:25which generates lift.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29To gain forward momentum,
0:32:29 > 0:32:31birds flap their wings.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35This makes the air flowing over them spiral off the trailing edge.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41These vortices
0:32:41 > 0:32:44thrust the bird forwards and upwards.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54These are the basic principles of all flight.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59But what's so unique about the way owls fly?
0:33:02 > 0:33:05- We fly quite a few different types of bird...- Yeah.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07- ..of varying sizes.- Yeah.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09But the one thing I notice about the owls
0:33:09 > 0:33:11is they always appear to be a lot slower
0:33:11 > 0:33:13when they're flying than the other birds.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15Well, all birds have got different wing shapes
0:33:15 > 0:33:17and they can fly at different speeds -
0:33:17 > 0:33:19it's just like aircraft.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21So if you look at the wing size of a barn owl,
0:33:21 > 0:33:23it's actually got a very big wing,
0:33:23 > 0:33:26and so they can fly very slow, very controlled.
0:33:29 > 0:33:33To really understand the barn owl's slow flight,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Lloyd's putting Lily to the test against two of his other birds.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45Maisie the greylag goose,
0:33:45 > 0:33:47a long distance endurance flier...
0:33:50 > 0:33:52..and Moses the peregrine falcon -
0:33:52 > 0:33:54one of the fastest birds on earth.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10The peregrine takes the lead.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13Its long and pointed wings are quite flat,
0:34:13 > 0:34:15designed for speed and manoeuvrability,
0:34:15 > 0:34:17which it needs to hunt.
0:34:20 > 0:34:21The goose is next.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25Weighing three kilograms,
0:34:25 > 0:34:29its relatively short and narrow wings work hard to get it airborne,
0:34:29 > 0:34:32but once up, it can sustain this for hours.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42The barn owl has the largest wings in relation to its body
0:34:42 > 0:34:45and its aerofoil is very curved,
0:34:45 > 0:34:47which generates a huge amount of lift.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52So the barn owl can fly slower
0:34:52 > 0:34:55and with fewer wingbeats than most other birds.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58Whoo! Good girl.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02But why is that important?
0:35:02 > 0:35:04Sometimes when you're watching the owls fly,
0:35:04 > 0:35:05they go so slowly
0:35:05 > 0:35:08it looks as if they're not going to be able to maintain flight.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11That's right. They are actually flying so slow
0:35:11 > 0:35:13that they're very, very close to stalling.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16But, of course, that's what they need to do
0:35:16 > 0:35:18because when they're doing that very, very slow flight,
0:35:18 > 0:35:20they're hunting.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23It may be just a little rustle in the grass,
0:35:23 > 0:35:25so they've got to be in a position to drop out the sky
0:35:25 > 0:35:26and investigate it.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33- And get a nice, tasty vole. - Absolutely, yeah.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38Owls have evolved a wing design
0:35:38 > 0:35:41perfectly suited for their aerial hunting strategy.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46Slow, yet deadly.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52But the refinements don't stop there.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56These birds have fine-tuned their flight
0:35:56 > 0:35:59so each species has subtle adaptations
0:35:59 > 0:36:00for the environment it lives in.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07Like the barn owl,
0:36:07 > 0:36:10these short-eared owls have very large, broad wings,
0:36:10 > 0:36:14ideal for flying slowly whilst hunting over open ground.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21Owls that live in woodland, like tawny owls,
0:36:21 > 0:36:23have shorter, more rounded wings
0:36:23 > 0:36:26to help them manoeuvre between trees.
0:36:31 > 0:36:32Wherever they live,
0:36:32 > 0:36:35all owls have an amazing aerial agility.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40They're even able to take off vertically from standing.
0:36:46 > 0:36:47It's a great defensive move,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50especially when you've got young to protect.
0:36:50 > 0:36:51SHARP BIRDCALL
0:36:52 > 0:36:54SHARP BIRDCALL
0:37:01 > 0:37:06A dive-bombing arctic skua is no match for the snowy owl.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22Such mastery of the skies seems to make these owls fearless...
0:37:25 > 0:37:28..even against one of the Arctic's largest predators.
0:37:34 > 0:37:35OWL SHRIEKS
0:37:48 > 0:37:49OWL SHRIEKS
0:38:02 > 0:38:05Her supreme flying skills drive the wolves away...
0:38:12 > 0:38:14..and her family is safe.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26Owls have one more amazing flying skill...
0:38:31 > 0:38:33..and this one is totally unique.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39Floating across the meadow,
0:38:39 > 0:38:42the barn owl is ghost-like in appearance...
0:38:44 > 0:38:46..and mysteriously quiet, too.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52But just how quiet is a hunting barn owl?
0:38:56 > 0:38:57Kensa.
0:38:57 > 0:38:58Shusssh.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02To find out, Lloyd's taken Kensa to a special studio...
0:39:05 > 0:39:06..where Graham...
0:39:06 > 0:39:07WINGBEATS
0:39:07 > 0:39:11..and sound recordist Gary Moore are going to put her to the test.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18..against Smudge the pigeon...
0:39:20 > 0:39:22..and Moses the peregrine.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29The birds' challenge -
0:39:29 > 0:39:32to fly over a series of super-sensitive microphones.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34ROSE WHISTLES
0:39:34 > 0:39:35WINGBEATS
0:39:35 > 0:39:37Good girl.
0:39:37 > 0:39:38THEY MURMUR
0:39:38 > 0:39:40Moses.
0:39:40 > 0:39:41Mo.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45WINGBEATS
0:39:48 > 0:39:50And now it's Kensa's turn.
0:39:52 > 0:39:53Shusssh.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55Here we go!
0:39:55 > 0:39:57Shusssh. KENSA SHRIEKS
0:40:01 > 0:40:03KENSA SHRIEKS
0:40:03 > 0:40:05- Did you hear anything? - Wow, that was really good.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08No, nothing at all. Absolutely quiet.
0:40:08 > 0:40:09It was amazing!
0:40:11 > 0:40:13But what have the microphones picked up?
0:40:13 > 0:40:15TUB RATTLES
0:40:15 > 0:40:18The decibel waveforms show the sound being generated
0:40:18 > 0:40:21by the birds in flight.
0:40:21 > 0:40:22WINGBEATS
0:40:25 > 0:40:28Each spike is an individual wingbeat.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33THUD
0:40:35 > 0:40:37WINGBEATS
0:40:44 > 0:40:45THUD
0:40:52 > 0:40:53But with the barn owl...
0:40:56 > 0:40:57..there's almost nothing.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02Even our array of super-sensitive microphones
0:41:02 > 0:41:05fail to pick up any sound of Kensa in flight.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07..and here's the owl doing exactly the same.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10KENSA SHRIEKS
0:41:14 > 0:41:15KENSA SHRIEKS
0:41:16 > 0:41:19Nothing, nothing at all.
0:41:19 > 0:41:20- I'll play it again. - KENSA SHRIEKS
0:41:25 > 0:41:27KENSA SHRIEKS
0:41:27 > 0:41:28- There's not a sound.- Yes.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31That is really impressive, isn't it?
0:41:31 > 0:41:33Yes, it shows that they really are silent fliers.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37So how does a barn owl fly so silently?
0:41:44 > 0:41:45WINGBEATS
0:41:49 > 0:41:52When air moves, it generates sound.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01The more movement, the greater the sound.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07The pigeon's large body and small wings
0:42:07 > 0:42:11mean it can't stay airborne without a lot of fast flapping.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18This creates turbulence in the feathers below.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20WINGBEATS
0:42:24 > 0:42:26The peregrine has much larger wings,
0:42:26 > 0:42:29which it uses to build up speed and chase down its prey.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56The barn owl is far more graceful.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11Kensa's large wings and small body
0:43:11 > 0:43:13make it easier for her to generate lift.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21So, just one gentle wingbeat
0:43:21 > 0:43:23sees her gliding effortlessly through the air...
0:43:26 > 0:43:29..creating little more than a whisper in the feathers below.
0:43:38 > 0:43:40But that's not the only thing
0:43:40 > 0:43:43that helps the barn owl achieve near-silent flight.
0:43:51 > 0:43:54Its flight feathers have noise-reducing fringes
0:43:54 > 0:43:56on the leading and trailing edges.
0:44:03 > 0:44:05And they have a velvet-like top to them.
0:44:08 > 0:44:12These soft surfaces absorb air movement,
0:44:12 > 0:44:16reducing any turbulence and minimising sound.
0:44:21 > 0:44:23Birds like pigeons and peregrines
0:44:23 > 0:44:25don't have these specialised features.
0:44:32 > 0:44:34So, why are they important for an owl?
0:44:36 > 0:44:40I suppose being able to fly so silently
0:44:40 > 0:44:42gives you two huge advantages over your prey.
0:44:42 > 0:44:45Not only on a dark night, if you were a vole,
0:44:45 > 0:44:49would you not hear your killer coming - you wouldn't hear it!
0:44:49 > 0:44:53Also, it allows the owl, I suppose, to pinpoint its prey
0:44:53 > 0:44:56without any interference from the noise of their wings.
0:44:56 > 0:44:57It doesn't want to hear itself
0:44:57 > 0:45:00as it's trying to home in on a very, very small sound.
0:45:00 > 0:45:02- That's incredible, isn't it? - Absolutely.
0:45:04 > 0:45:07Silent flight is possibly the greatest
0:45:07 > 0:45:09of all the owl's superpowers
0:45:09 > 0:45:13and it makes a huge difference to their hunting success.
0:45:15 > 0:45:18But, like every superpowered creature,
0:45:18 > 0:45:21owls have their kryptonite.
0:45:21 > 0:45:22THUNDER RUMBLES
0:45:27 > 0:45:28Rain.
0:45:38 > 0:45:39OWL CALLS
0:45:41 > 0:45:45This male, short-eared owl has a young family back at the nest.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49When it rains, they're all at risk.
0:45:55 > 0:45:58Because there's a price to pay for having silent feathers -
0:45:58 > 0:46:01they can't also be waterproof.
0:46:08 > 0:46:10The female hunkers down.
0:46:12 > 0:46:15She can't move, or her chicks will be at risk of hypothermia.
0:46:20 > 0:46:22The male is struggling, too.
0:46:24 > 0:46:27He can't hear his prey over the driving rain.
0:46:32 > 0:46:35So, today, his family will go hungry.
0:46:42 > 0:46:44Wet weather can be fatal for owls.
0:46:50 > 0:46:54It's one of the reasons some don't make it through their first winter.
0:47:10 > 0:47:12Learning to hunt for themselves
0:47:12 > 0:47:14is a challenge all young owls face
0:47:14 > 0:47:16if they're going to survive.
0:47:23 > 0:47:26Little owls fledge between four and five weeks.
0:47:28 > 0:47:32After this, their parents encourage them to fend for themselves.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40The adults usually hunt voles and other small mammals...
0:47:43 > 0:47:47..but these pint-sized youngsters don't have the experience
0:47:47 > 0:47:49to take on such tricky prey.
0:47:58 > 0:48:01So, they start by practising on something a bit easier.
0:48:14 > 0:48:17Earthworms won't be enough to see them through the winter...
0:48:20 > 0:48:23..but they're great for honing their hunting technique.
0:48:32 > 0:48:34As birds of prey,
0:48:34 > 0:48:37owls are defined by their habit for hunting small animals.
0:48:39 > 0:48:42Mastering the kill is a critical survival skill...
0:48:47 > 0:48:48..but it's clearly not easy.
0:48:49 > 0:48:52So what exactly is it youngsters need to learn?
0:48:54 > 0:48:57To find out, Lloyd's brought Kensa
0:48:57 > 0:49:00to meet animal locomotion scientist Dr Jim Usherwood.
0:49:02 > 0:49:06Together they'll try to deconstruct the moment she pounces on her prey.
0:49:08 > 0:49:10In Jim's laboratory,
0:49:10 > 0:49:12they've created a mini hunting ground.
0:49:12 > 0:49:14That can go there.
0:49:14 > 0:49:15Got the beeper?
0:49:15 > 0:49:18They've hidden a beeper box and some food in the long grass.
0:49:18 > 0:49:20Right...
0:49:20 > 0:49:22And, concealed beneath the turf,
0:49:22 > 0:49:25is a special device that can measure the forces at work.
0:49:26 > 0:49:28BEEPING
0:49:35 > 0:49:38- She's got it.- There's a good girl.
0:49:41 > 0:49:43You clever old barn owl.
0:49:43 > 0:49:48How much force, then, does she exert on the pounce?
0:49:48 > 0:49:51So, here we have the vertical forces of the owl.
0:49:51 > 0:49:53And, so, there's the force of taking off,
0:49:53 > 0:49:56and then you see some fairly powerful flaps,
0:49:56 > 0:49:59and then she eases off the gas,
0:49:59 > 0:50:01uses gravity to come back down at speed,
0:50:01 > 0:50:04hits the ground at about five metres a second,
0:50:04 > 0:50:07- with a force that's something like 12 times body weight.- Wow.
0:50:12 > 0:50:17This is the moment an owl must bring all its superpowers together.
0:50:24 > 0:50:27Hanging silently in the air,
0:50:27 > 0:50:30Kensa uses her hearing and eyesight to find her target.
0:50:39 > 0:50:41She angles her face to pinpoint the sound.
0:50:47 > 0:50:49Once she's locked on,
0:50:49 > 0:50:53she positions her entire body for the pounce.
0:51:05 > 0:51:07And then, what I find really interesting,
0:51:07 > 0:51:09look, when she comes down,
0:51:09 > 0:51:12basically she's going headfirst towards the ground.
0:51:12 > 0:51:15And it's only now the legs come forwards.
0:51:15 > 0:51:17But the legs are still very, very bent,
0:51:17 > 0:51:20and, then, it's right at the very end the legs extend
0:51:20 > 0:51:22and then you get that thump.
0:51:22 > 0:51:24So, she's coming down at five metres a second.
0:51:24 > 0:51:29She's hitting the ground at around 12 times her body weight.
0:51:29 > 0:51:30- Mm-hm.- Which would make sense,
0:51:30 > 0:51:34because primarily she's hunting small mammals.
0:51:34 > 0:51:36So she wants to hit them with as much force as possible,
0:51:36 > 0:51:38to disable it and kill it.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41What I was thinking was those long legs would be useful
0:51:41 > 0:51:43to ease off the force -
0:51:43 > 0:51:44but she's not easing off at all.
0:51:44 > 0:51:48She's actually extending with her legs just as she hits the ground,
0:51:48 > 0:51:49then gives it a good old thump.
0:51:53 > 0:51:57To put this in perspective, the force of Kensa's pounce
0:51:57 > 0:52:01is the equivalent of a 12-tonne truck hitting an 80kg man.
0:52:04 > 0:52:06It's unlikely her prey
0:52:06 > 0:52:07would survive the impact.
0:52:08 > 0:52:11You wouldn't want to be a vole, would you, now?
0:52:11 > 0:52:13No, no. No, life as a vole would be brief.
0:52:13 > 0:52:14LLOYD LAUGHS
0:52:28 > 0:52:31The journey to mastering such finely-tuned superpowers
0:52:31 > 0:52:33starts early.
0:52:39 > 0:52:43It's now three months since Luna and Lily entered the world.
0:52:50 > 0:52:53They started to use their senses even before they hatched.
0:52:56 > 0:52:57Shusssh.
0:52:57 > 0:52:59OWLET CHEEPS
0:52:59 > 0:53:02I heard it! Amazing.
0:53:02 > 0:53:04First, their hearing.
0:53:07 > 0:53:10And then, within three weeks,
0:53:10 > 0:53:13they were using their eyesight to explore their surroundings.
0:53:18 > 0:53:21Their development was encouraged by Lloyd and Rose
0:53:21 > 0:53:23every step of the way.
0:53:23 > 0:53:25Who knows what's really clever about what owls can do?
0:53:25 > 0:53:28- They can see in the dark. - That's it! Well done.
0:53:30 > 0:53:31At just two months old,
0:53:31 > 0:53:33Luna and Lily started to fly.
0:53:35 > 0:53:37Wow!
0:53:38 > 0:53:41Whoa, that's on the picture, Luna.
0:53:51 > 0:53:53Now, at three months old,
0:53:53 > 0:53:56it's time to see if they can put it all together.
0:53:59 > 0:54:00Shusssh.
0:54:00 > 0:54:02Come on, Luna.
0:54:02 > 0:54:03Luna.
0:54:03 > 0:54:04ROSE LAUGHS
0:54:04 > 0:54:05Hello.
0:54:05 > 0:54:09Mind your feet! Lily, come here.
0:54:09 > 0:54:10Luna!
0:54:10 > 0:54:12Luna and Lily have grown up
0:54:12 > 0:54:14in an extraordinary family...
0:54:14 > 0:54:16Good girl.
0:54:16 > 0:54:19..and become bold and confident birds.
0:54:19 > 0:54:20Lily! Yep.
0:54:22 > 0:54:24ROSE LAUGHS
0:54:24 > 0:54:27Luna, you're not meant to be on the camera.
0:54:27 > 0:54:29Lily!
0:54:29 > 0:54:32- Good girl.- Good girl, good girl!
0:54:32 > 0:54:35But despite their unusual upbringing,
0:54:35 > 0:54:39out in the meadow, their natural instincts kick in.
0:54:43 > 0:54:46They're hunting, just like adult barn owls,
0:54:46 > 0:54:50using all their superpowers of keen eyesight,
0:54:50 > 0:54:52extraordinary hearing
0:54:52 > 0:54:54and slow and silent flight.
0:54:57 > 0:54:58Shusssh.
0:54:58 > 0:54:59Good girl, come on.
0:55:01 > 0:55:03Nature has played its part...
0:55:03 > 0:55:04BEEPING
0:55:04 > 0:55:06Ooh, good girl. Got it?
0:55:06 > 0:55:09..and Lloyd and Rose have done everything they can
0:55:09 > 0:55:10to get both birds to this moment.
0:55:10 > 0:55:11Got it stuck?
0:55:13 > 0:55:15There you go.
0:55:15 > 0:55:19But, while Lily continues to hone her skills living alongside them...
0:55:20 > 0:55:23..there's been an unexpected twist to her sister's story.
0:55:31 > 0:55:32One evening,
0:55:32 > 0:55:34Luna flew off...
0:55:34 > 0:55:36and she didn't come back.
0:55:40 > 0:55:43For Lloyd, it only underlines her graduation
0:55:43 > 0:55:46from owlet to adult,
0:55:46 > 0:55:49reassuring him that he's equipped her with everything she needs
0:55:49 > 0:55:51for an independent life.
0:55:52 > 0:55:55I've given her all the skills that she needs to survive.
0:55:55 > 0:55:58I've been her parent. She's chosen to go -
0:55:58 > 0:56:00it's her choice -
0:56:00 > 0:56:04and we always say they've got that choice to stay or go.
0:56:04 > 0:56:08It's sad for me because you get really attached to them,
0:56:08 > 0:56:11but they don't have those trappings of human sentiments.
0:56:11 > 0:56:14She's just gone on to the wild to do her own thing.
0:56:22 > 0:56:26Now, more than ever, Luna will rely on those special skills
0:56:26 > 0:56:28that set owls apart.
0:57:02 > 0:57:07For centuries, these enchanting birds have captured our imagination.
0:57:14 > 0:57:18With their haunting calls and ghostly appearances,
0:57:18 > 0:57:22owls add a magic and mystery to our landscapes.
0:57:35 > 0:57:38Their charismatic faces are so familiar,
0:57:38 > 0:57:40perhaps because they look that bit more human
0:57:40 > 0:57:42than other birds.
0:57:55 > 0:57:57But it's their superpowers
0:57:57 > 0:57:59that make them one of the most successful
0:57:59 > 0:58:01and best-loved birds on our planet.