Owls are renowned for their ability to precisely locate prey by sound alone, but a new study reveals that an unrelated group of raptors—harriers—share some of these exceptional hearing traits. Conducted by researchers from the University of Lethbridge in Canada and Flinders University in Australia, the study shows that harriers have evolved similar auditory adaptations, enabling them to detect prey using sound in ways previously believed to be exclusive to owls.
Published in the Journal of Anatomy, the study highlights the collaborative work of the Iwaniuk Lab and the Bones and Diversity Lab. Lead author Sara Citron, a Ph.D. student at the University of Lethbridge, explains that while owls have long been known for their specialized hearing, the discovery that harriers independently evolved similar adaptations challenges earlier assumptions. “It was thought that these traits were unique to owls, but our research shows that harriers have also developed mechanisms for sound-based hunting,” she says.
Harriers, a group of hawks found across multiple continents including North America, Europe, Australia, and Africa, are known for flying low over fields and grasslands in a behavior known as "quartering flight." Unlike most hawks that rely primarily on vision, harriers tilt their heads downward and use both sight and hearing to locate prey.
Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk, senior author and Ph.D. advisor, notes that this hunting style suggested a more refined auditory system. “Harriers aren’t just scanning with their eyes—they’re actively listening while in flight,” he explains.
The researchers compared harriers to other hawks, including species like the wedge-tailed eagle, using anatomical specimens sourced from museums and rehabilitation centers. They found that harriers have enlarged ear openings and two brain regions that are significantly expanded—features also found in owls. These brain regions, located in the brainstem, help process the direction of sounds by comparing the time it takes for sound to reach each ear.
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Associate Professor Vera Weisbecker from Flinders University elaborates, “These auditory regions calculate whether a sound arrives at both ears simultaneously or with a delay. A delay indicates direction, and an enlarged auditory system improves this precision.”
The team emphasizes that while harriers share some owl-like traits, their hearing is not as advanced. Owls, especially species like the barn owl, have additional adaptations such as asymmetrical ears and more complex brain structures that allow them to hunt in total darkness—capabilities harriers lack.
Still, the discovery highlights a remarkable case of convergent evolution, where unrelated animals independently evolve similar traits. “Despite being separated by more than 60 million years, harriers and owls have developed comparable brain and hearing structures to solve the same problem—finding hidden prey using sound,” says Citron.
The findings could have implications for conservation. Dr. Iwaniuk points out that noise pollution may interfere with harriers’ ability to detect prey. “Given their reliance on sound, harriers may be particularly vulnerable to traffic and industrial noise, which could partly explain declining populations in regions like Canada,” he says.
The researchers hope their work encourages further anatomical studies to better understand how birds perceive their environments and adapt to their ecological niches.
