🦉 How do owls turn their heads so far?

Owls are super cool birds! 🦉 They can turn their heads almost all the way around! This is because their necks are very flexible, like a bendy straw. 🥤

Unlike us, owls can't move their eyes much, so they turn their whole head to look around. It helps them see better when they hunt for food at night!

Owls have a special trick to turn their heads so far—up to 270 degrees! 🌟 Their necks have extra bones (14 compared to our 7) and stretchy blood vessels that don’t get blocked when they twist.

Since their eyes are fixed in place (they can’t move them side to side like we can), they need to turn their whole head to look around. This helps them spot tiny mice or other prey in the dark!

Owls have a unique skeletal and circulatory system that allows them to rotate their heads up to 270 degrees without cutting off blood flow to their brain. 🧠⚡ Here’s how it works:

• Extra vertebrae: Owls have 14 neck bones (humans have 7), giving them greater flexibility.
• Adapted blood vessels: Their arteries expand at the base of the skull, creating "reserve pools" of blood to supply the brain during extreme twists.
• Fixed eyes: Unlike humans, owls can’t move their eyes sideways, so their head rotation compensates for this.

This adaptation is crucial for their survival as nocturnal hunters, allowing them to scan their surroundings without moving their bodies.