仓鸮是一种夜间活动的猛禽，具有非常高效的捕获猎物的能力，是最早用于研究声音定位的大脑机制的动物模型之一。从他们专门的声音定位听觉系统中得出的一些开创性的发现包括听觉空间的中脑图的发现、声音驱动定向行为的空间线索检测机制以及支持发育和经验依赖性可塑性的电路水平变化。这些发现解释了重要的听力功能的特性，并激发了跨越不同动物物种的空间听力理论，从而巩固了仓鸮作为阐明基本大脑机制的强大实验系统的遗产。这篇简明的评论将概述仓鸮模型系统的见解，这些见解体现了研究跨物种大脑机制的多样性和相似性的力量。首先，我们讨论仓鸮专门系统的一些关键发现，这些发现阐明了检测空间听觉听觉线索的大脑机制。然后我们研究仓鸮如何验证跨物种最佳听力的数学计算和理论。最后，我们总结了仓鸮如何对声音定位中的发育和经验依赖性可塑性进行深入研究，以及未来研究的途径，以弥合物种之间的共性。 类似于天体物理学通过对宇宙中行星、恒星和星系的不同探索来了解自然的信息能力，不同动物物种的各种研究追求对自然大脑机制和行为的广泛理解。
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Barn owls specialized sound-driven behavior: Lessons in optimal processing and coding by the auditory system
The barn owl, a nocturnal raptor with remarkably efficient prey-capturing abilities, has been one of the initial animal models used for research of brain mechanisms underlying sound localization. Some seminal findings made from their specialized sound localizing auditory system include discoveries of a midbrain map of auditory space, mechanisms towards spatial cue detection underlying sound-driven orienting behavior, and circuit level changes supporting development and experience-dependent plasticity. These findings have explained properties of vital hearing functions and inspired theories in spatial hearing that extend across diverse animal species, thereby cementing the barn owl's legacy as a powerful experimental system for elucidating fundamental brain mechanisms. This concise review will provide an overview of the insights from which the barn owl model system has exemplified the strength of investigating diversity and similarity of brain mechanisms across species. First, we discuss some of the key findings in the specialized system of the barn owl that elucidated brain mechanisms toward detection of auditory cues for spatial hearing. Then we examine how the barn owl has validated mathematical computations and theories underlying optimal hearing across species. And lastly, we conclude with how the barn owl has advanced investigations toward developmental and experience dependent plasticity in sound localization, as well as avenues for future research investigations towards bridging commonalities across species. Analogous to the informative power of Astrophysics for understanding nature through diverse exploration of planets, stars, and galaxies across the universe, miscellaneous research across different animal species pursues broad understanding of natural brain mechanisms and behavior.