Adirondack Raptors is a company owned by Mark Manske that monitors and studies local raptors (carnivorous birds with strong talons). He also focuses on educating the local community about birds of prey. He explained to us that not all owls hoot. Instead, some (like the barn owl) use higher pitched shrieks to communicate. The white concave disk-like face is covered with fine, silky feathers, with ear sockets facing above and below. The concavity of the facial disk allows for optimized sound-gathering from the respective directions. He also explained to us that hunting male owls are generally found to be smaller in size than their female counterparts who are responsible for protecting its nest. Some agricultural organizations are beginning to utilize some birds of prey as a means to control the rodent population--a substitute for pesticide use.