Owls

The order Strigiformes, which has approximately 200 species of largely nocturnal, solitary birds of prey, includes owls. These birds are characterized by erect postures, broad, huge heads, binocular eyesight, binaural hearing, keen talons, and feathers designed for silent flight. The nocturnal northern hawk-owl and the social burrowing owl are two exceptions. Owls are primarily attack small mammals, insects, and other birds, while certain species are fish hunters. They can be found everywhere on Earth, with the exception of some isolated islands and the polar ice caps.

One of the predators of hedgehogs that eat hedgehogs is owls. Hedgehogs are a common meal for large owls, such as the Eurasian eagle owl. Being nocturnal means that owls and hedgehogs sleep during the day and are active at night. Like many other owl species, the Eurasian eagle owl can flap its wings silently while it hunts, denying the hedgehog any opportunity to curl into a defensive ball because there are no warning noises.

The owls' hunting technique heavily relies on surprise and stealth. Owls have at least two adaptations that help them blend with their surroundings. First, under some circumstances, their feathers' drab coloring can make them virtually unnoticeable. Second, an owl's leading edge remixes have serrated edges that soften the wing beats, making flight virtually silent. This trait is absent in some fish-eating owls, for which quiet has no evolutionary advantage. An owl may kill its victim before devouring it whole because of its sharp beak and strong talons. The owls' propensity to regurgitate the inedible components of their prey (such as bones, scales, and fur) as pellets are helpful to researchers looking into their diets.