The Quiet Owl

● In quest of a meal owls reach high speed quietly, without the swishing sound that most birds make when they fly. Lately the quiet owl has been studied by engineers who are looking for a way to lessen jet-engine compressor noise. They have examined the owl’s wing and found it uniquely serrated, making the owl’s flight among the quietest in the world of birds. Engineers want to serrate or “saw-tooth” the edges of engine rotor blades, hoping to prevent the formation of a noise-generating wake. ‘The owl’s wing,’ commented Product Engineering magazine, ‘has provided inspiration for engineers.’