From Frank Buck Zoo
The “whiskers” on a Spectacled Owl aren’t true whiskers like you’d see on a mammal-they’re actually specialized feathers called rictal bristles.
Rictal bristles are stiff, hair-like feathers that grow around the base of the beak. In spectacled owls, they can look especially prominent, giving that whiskered appearance around the face.
It’s the internet, I knew some smarty pants would say something if I didn’t make it clear in advance. 🤡