Western Barn Owl
NameWestern Barn Owl
Common NameWestern Barn Owl
Scientific NameTyto alba
FamilyTytonidae
Wingspan (cm)110
Length (cm)36
Weight (g)425
Plumage DetailsFeatures a striking white, heart-shaped facial disc with dark eyes. Upperparts are golden-buff to tawny, finely mottled with grey and speckled with small dark spots. Underparts are typically white, sometimes with a few dark spots, and legs are feathered white.
Vocalization / CallKnown for its eerie, drawn-out, hissing screech, often described as a 'shreeee'. It also produces various hisses, snores, and clicks, especially when agitated or near the nest.
Primary Dietcarnivore
Primary Habitatsgrassland, forest, urban
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeWidely distributed across Europe, Africa, Asia, Australasia, and the Americas, making it one of the most widespread land birds in the world. It is absent from polar and desert regions.
Identifying FeaturesDistinctive heart-shaped white facial disc, Pale plumage, golden-buff upperparts with grey mottling, Dark eyes, Nocturnal hunting behavior, Eerie screeching call
Description
The Western Barn Owl is a medium-sized, pale owl known for its distinctive heart-shaped facial disc. It is primarily nocturnal, hunting small mammals and birds in open country with its exceptional hearing and silent flight.
