Barn Owl
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Lviatour" title="User:Lviatour">Luc Viatour</a> (CC BY-SA 3.0)
NameBarn Owl
Common NameBarn Owl
Scientific NameTyto alba
FamilyTytonidae
Wingspan (cm)110
Length (cm)36
Weight (g)450
Plumage DetailsUpperparts are golden-buff to tawny, finely mottled with grey and speckled with dark spots. Underparts are typically pure white to pale buff, often with sparse dark spots. The facial disc is pure white, contrasting with dark eyes.
Vocalization / CallBarn Owls do not hoot; their most characteristic vocalization is a long, eerie, drawn-out screech. They also produce various hisses, snores, and clicks.
Primary Dietcarnivore
Primary Habitatsgrassland, farmland, open woodland, marsh, urban areas
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeNearly cosmopolitan, found on all continents except Antarctica, including widespread populations across Europe, Africa, Asia, Australasia, and the Americas.
Identifying Featuresheart-shaped facial disc, pale plumage (white underparts, golden-buff upperparts), dark eyes, silent, buoyant flight, long legs and short tail
Description
The Barn Owl is a medium-sized, pale owl recognized by its distinctive heart-shaped facial disc. It is a nocturnal hunter, known for its silent, buoyant flight over open country in search of small prey.
