Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes, which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary.
This is especially true for strictly nocturnal species such as the barn owls Tyto or Tengmalm's owl.
Asymmetrical ear placement on the skull allows the owl to pinpoint the location of its prey.
Asymmetry has not been reported to extend to the middle or internal ear of the owl.
Owls exhibit specialized hearing functions and ear shapes that also aid in hunting.
These attributes of the owl cause its nocturnal eyesight to be far superior to that of its average prey.
Thus, the primary nocturnal function in the vision of the owl is due to its large posterior nodal distance; retinal image brightness is only maximized to the owl within secondary neural functions.
These mechanisms are only able to function due to the large-sized retinal image.
Owls are farsighted and cannot focus on objects within a few centimetres of their eyes.