Barn Owl: The Ghostly Bird of Prey With a Heart-Shaped Face

Barn Owl

Scientific Name: Tyto alba
Geography: Europe, Africa, India, Asia, Pacific islands, and the Americas.
Habitat: Farmlands, grasslands, and coastal areas. Usually found hunting along field edges, riverbanks, and roadsides.
Diet: Mice or rats, bats, small birds, and amphibians.
Behavior: Solitary birds
Life Span: About 4 years
Conservation Status: Least concern
Threats: Opossums, raccoons, eagles, hawks, and species of owls, like the great horned owl and Eurasian eagle-owl.

The barn owl is probably one of the most recognized owls in the world. It’s known for its distinct heart-shaped head, white feathers, and ghostly face. This owl can also be found everywhere except in polar and desert areas.

Did you know that the barn owl does not hoot at all? Instead, it has an eerie screeching sound that can shrivel your bones in fright. Moreover, they can mimic their prey’s sounds and can do a variety of calls.

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Classification

This bird of prey is often called the common barn owl. This is to distinguish it from the other species in the Tytonidae family.

It was first described in 1769 and cataloged as Strix alba. But as more owls were defined, its last scientific name became Tyto alba. It combines two Greek words, tyto for night owl and alba for white, which means white night owl.

People call this bird many names due to its unique appearance and calls. Some of the most common nicknames include:

• Demon owl
• Ghost owl
• Death owl
• Lich owl
• Hissing owl
• Dobby owl
• Monkey-faced owl

But, strangely, all these names suggest a fearsome reputation!

Characteristics

There are three main lineages of barn owls:

• The western barn owl of Europe, Asia, and Africa
• The eastern barn owl of Asia and Australasia
• The American barn owl of the Americas

Some scientists classify barn owls into five species. But in total, there are 28 subspecies in existence.

Since there are multiple subspecies of barn owls, their size varies. It ranges from 13 to 15 inches (33-39 cm) with a wingspan of 31 to 37 inches (80-89 cm).

Overall, it’s considered a medium-sized owl with short wings and a short square tail.

Their weight also varies depending on their habitat. It can range anywhere between 8 to 16 oz (250-480g). Whereas owls living on the small islands are considerably smaller than continental ones. It could be because they need to be more agile to catch small insects.

The barn owl’s look is quite peculiar. It has a white, heart-shaped face, big black eyes, and feathers above the bill, much like a nose. In addition, it has long, feathered legs and a unique wave-like flight pattern.

The upper body coloring varies from brown to gray. Though its face is primarily white, some subspecies have brown coloring. They lack ear tufts, and their sharp claws are brownish-black.

Males are generally paler than females and present fewer spots on the underside. Females are bigger and heavier than males, and the ones with more spots attract more mates.

Geography and Distribution

The barn owl lives all over the world, making it the most widespread land bird species. It can’t be found in Antarctica and the Sahara desert, however. Its range includes Europe, Africa, India, Asia, Pacific islands, and the Americas.

In 2008, barn owls were spotted mating in New Zealand for the first time. To control the rodent population, Hawaii introduced the barn owl to their island. However, it also started eating native birds.

Habitat

Since it’s found worldwide, it also lives in many habitats. You can spot one in most farmlands, grasslands, and coastal areas. It’s usually found hunting along field edges, riverbanks, and roadsides.

They also spend time near barns and abandoned buildings to build their nests. This is so they can easily live in close contact with humans in cities and suburbs.

How to Attract Barn Owls

You can attract barn owls by providing them with a suitable living environment. For example, areas like farmlands and open fields are more likely to get visits from these owls.

The primary way to attract a barn owl is to set up a nest box. You can put this wooden house in a tree, pole, or barn.

The best place for a nest box is a shady tree because owls hunt from trees. The nest needs to be at least 10 feet (3 m) above ground. You can also plant fir trees like redwoods to create their ideal habitat.

Ryegrass also attracts these birds. Plant different types of long grass to make your garden appear wilder. Moreover, avoid using rodents and insect repellents because these will harm the owl.

For autumn and winter, you can build a food table for them when the food supply is scarce. Ensure it’s placed high so rodents or house pets can’t reach it.

Diet and Food Habits

Barn owls are birds of prey. Their favorite thing for dinner is either mice or rats. They occasionally go for bats, small birds, and amphibians.

These birds have a higher metabolic rate than other owls, so they need to eat more food. Even though they are small, they consume the most rodents.

Owls are mainly nocturnal, so they usually hunt at night. Their aerodynamic disc faces easily transport the sound to their ear holes. Furthermore, they have asymmetrical ears that enhance their hearing ability to pinpoint prey.

Barn owls have long, slender legs. This makes them great foragers through dense foliage. Once they pinpoint their prey, they dive to the ground and grab it with their claws. Finally, they swallow it whole and regurgitate the pellets.

Behavior

Barn owls are typically solitary birds. They live in pairs only when breeding season approaches. They aren’t territorial but prefer foraging near their roosts.

For example, a male’s home range can be approximately 0.6 miles (1 km). Usually, the female’s home range is the same as her mates.

Out of breeding season, both birds roost separately. They typically have about three places to hide during the day and rarely frequent at night.

If an intruder approaches an owl’s nest, the male owl is curious and docile. Meanwhile, the female exhibits aggressive behavior and might attack the intruder. The owlets are also aggressive, and they usually pounce at various objects.

Barn owls have two threatening poses. One where it stands with its wings wide open with its head down, swinging back and forth. The second stand has its wings downwards, its body moving from side to side.

In both poses, they make a hissing sound. Sometimes they make a snapping sound using their beak and possibly tongue.

Male barn owls make a loud 2-second screech sound. Females have a softer version called a purring call. When they return to their nest, they make a frog-like croak sound. You can listen to barn owls screeching here:

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Barn Owl Lifespan

The barn owl has a lifespan of about four years. The oldest bird was 15 years old. In captivity, they can live up to 20 years. Unfortunately, 70% of nestlings die in their first year.

Mating and Reproduction

Barn owls mate for life. They only look for a partner when one of their mates gets killed.

Males start the courtship with a mid-flight display. Moth flying is a remarkable display of hoovering motion in front of the female. To impress the female, the male shows his chest and belly while flying.

They usually breed once every year. In warmer climates, they can reproduce thrice per year.

The female is ready to breed at about ten months of age. Owls are cavity nesters, so they prefer tree hollows or fissures in a cliff. In colder areas, they nest in buildings like sheds or church towers.

Before mating, the male slowly becomes the only hunter as the female generally stops. The female usually lays between four to six eggs on different days, spanning over 21 days. The incubation starts the moment an egg gets laid. Then, the eggs start hatching in approximately 31 days.

The male will continue to be the only hunter and bring food until the chicks are three weeks old. The owlets then begin to make short flights starting from seven weeks old. They learn to fly and hunt from 10 to 14 weeks old, but their parents still feed them.

At 14 weeks, owlets become adults and independent. They either fly away, or their parents kick them out.

Nesting

Barn owls don’t build nests, so they do not need nesting materials. Instead, the eggs are laid directly on the nest’s surface. This could be made out of wood, stone, or regurgitated pellets. Sometimes they share their tree or barn nests with jackdaws.

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Migration

This hooter is a sedentary bird. When they choose a location, they stay there even if there are better food sources nearby.

In Australia, barn owls migrate to the northern coast during the dry season. Then, they move back down south during the wet season. Occasionally, they migrate due to rodent plagues.

Population

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates over 10 million barn owls worldwide. There are over 2 million individuals in the Americas. This bird is the second most distributed raptor, the first being the peregrine falcon.

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Conservation Status

The IUCN red lists situate the barn owl as least concern since 2016. Although this bird has several threats, its numbers remain stable.

Threats and Predators

Their main predators include opossums, raccoons, eagles, and hawks. Some species of owls, like the great horned owl and Eurasian eagle-owl, prey on barn owls. In addition, owlets can get eaten by snakes and stoats.

Major threats include habitat loss, lack of nesting sites, and road deaths. This is why farmers and rural landowners are encouraged to provide rough grassland. It’s a habitat preferred by mice and vole, the primary food source for barn owls.

The loss of nests significantly impacts barn owls. When they decide on an area, they spend most of their lives using the same roost. Therefore, existing nests should be maintained where possible. If not, building nearby nests can be a viable solution.

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Ecological Role

As birds of prey, they are at the top of the food chain, meaning they play an important environmental role. In addition, barn owls keep control of the rodent population, helping farmers everywhere.

The amount of yearly food loss to rodents is significantly reduced thanks to barn owls. It’s also cheaper than using poison or traps.

For example, some Pacific islands introduced barn owls for rat control. Other animals eat barn owls, so they are also a food source.

Experiments on Barn Owls

Scientists at Johns Hopkins University once began a study on barn owls. This is to understand why people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) struggle to focus. They chose to experiment on owls because of how their midbrain is organized.

This gained much scrutiny from the PETA organization. In these experiments, scientists conduct sensory tests. This is done by placing electrodes into the birds’ brains. Ultimately, the barn owls are euthanized.

As of 2022, the university is allowed to continue its experiments.

Fun Facts

It is a complete myth that owls can’t completely rotate their heads. They turn their heads 270° because they have fixed eye sockets. So, they still need to move their whole head to see their surroundings.

Barn owls are like ninjas with wings. That’s because they’re incredibly silent when they fly. The soft feathers on their wing edges help them make no sound when flapping or gliding.

Barn owls also have fantastic memory. They can remember different sounds their prey makes. That’s how they always know if it’s eating, moving, or standing still.

Their appearance frightens some cultures, however. In South Africa, barn owls are usually associated with witchcraft.

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