Thomas Lee True West

This is the wing of a long-eared owl Denver Holt and the Owl Research Institute caught and released near Missoula a few years back.

The tiny feathers along the edge of the wing are called leading edge fringe. They form a soft, velour-like surface texture and combine with trailing edge fringe to reduce aerodynamic flight noise to ultrasonic levels. So the owls can fly silently and catch their lunch unawares.

And the owls have two sets of eyelids they can blink independently. Cool, huh?