The animal that is well-known for having symmetrically placed ears to enhance sound localization is the owl. Owls have a specialized facial disc, which consists of a circular arrangement of feathers around their eyes. This facial disc acts as a sound-catching dish, allowing owls to capture and focus sound waves towards their ears.
The positioning of an owl's ears on either side of its head, with slight variations in height and angle, enables them to achieve precise sound localization. Due to this unique ear placement, owls can determine the direction and distance of sounds with exceptional accuracy. They can detect subtle differences in sound arrival time and intensity between their ears, aiding them in pinpointing the location of prey, even in complete darkness.
This exceptional ability to localize sounds is crucial for owls, as they are primarily nocturnal hunters that rely heavily on their hearing to locate and capture prey.