Not every owl is plush and soundless on the wing. The tool kit for quiet flight varies from species to species. Owls that depend less on hearing when they hunt, such as Mountain Pygmy Owls, have noisier flight. The Great Gray Owl has the most extreme traits related to quiet flight. It has the thickest velvet, one of the longest leading-edge combs, and possibly the most extensive vane fringes of any owl.
