Barn Owl
Tyto alba
Identification
- Under parts are white with a few black markings, occasionally there are no markings
- There are also buff markings on the wings and back
- Heart shaped white facial disc with brown edge, brown marks around the eyes
- Beak if off-white, feet are yellowish-white to brown
- Males and females are very similar in colour and size, juvenile is like the adult
- They are generally nocturnal, but have been seen in the day
Length: 32-40cm
Wingspan: 100-125cm
Weight: 14.1-24.7oz (400-700g)
Habitat
Barn Owls are able to adapt to any habitat but tend to occupy areas of open woodland, heaths and moors than forested country. During the day, they roost in mostly in tree hollows but can also be found in caves, wells, out-buildings, or thick foliage. They are birds that can co-habitat well with humans in rural surroundings.
Food
The Barn Owl has its specialty in hunting ground prey, manly small rodents. They particularly like to prey upon voles, pocket gophers, shrews, mice, and rats. They have also been known to catch baby rabbits, bats, frogs, lizards, small birds, and insects.
Nesting
Courtship:
The male impresses the female by circling the nest tree while giving short screeches and chattering calls.
Nesting:
Barn Owls like to nest in tree hollows, old buildings, caves, and well shafts. They do not build their nests, but they cover the base of the nesting site with pellets. 3-6 eggs are laid at 2 day intervals, and the female incubates them for 20-34 days. The chicks are born covered in white down and begin leaving the nest at 2 weeks before becoming fully fledged in 50-55 days. After being able to fly, the chicks stay in the area for about a week before dispersing.
The male impresses the female by circling the nest tree while giving short screeches and chattering calls.
Nesting:
Barn Owls like to nest in tree hollows, old buildings, caves, and well shafts. They do not build their nests, but they cover the base of the nesting site with pellets. 3-6 eggs are laid at 2 day intervals, and the female incubates them for 20-34 days. The chicks are born covered in white down and begin leaving the nest at 2 weeks before becoming fully fledged in 50-55 days. After being able to fly, the chicks stay in the area for about a week before dispersing.
Calls
The Barn Owl does not frequently call out into the night, but when they do it is a drawn out rasping screech. Their courtship call is a shrill and repetitive twittering noise.
To hear the Barn Owl, click HERE!
To hear the Barn Owl, click HERE!
Range/Distribution
The Barn Owl is one of the most widespread of all the land birds, found on every continent (except Antarctica) and on practically all large islands.
View Distribution Map
View Observation Map
View Distribution Map
View Observation Map
Conservation
The average life expectancy of the Barn Owl in the wild is an average of 1-2 years.
Bird Studies Canada (BSC) is currently studying the decline of the Barn Owl in Ontario. BSC makes note that the Barn Owl was never very prominent in Ontario since it was considered the Northern part of its range, but with the clear cutting of forests by European Settlers coming to Canada their numbers began to increase along the north shore of Lake Erie. But over the past few decades, their population numbers have been consistently declining in the past few decades. This is likely to be from major changes in farming practices moving to large scale and intensely managed crops which lead to a massive loss of habitat such as meadows and wetlands and therefore loss of prey species and nesting sites (tree cavities and old buildings). In 1999, the Barn Owl was placed on the Endangered Species list by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), and since then only a handful of confirmed or possible sightings of individual Barn Owls and no breeding couples in Ontario.
The Ontario Barn Owl Recovery Program was created in 1997 by people in the Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk. And Bird Studies Canada began to create a recovery plan identifying how we can help increase Barn Owl population to a self-sustaining level. Some recommendations they make are:
- The need to monitor the existing populations and locating the current and potential nesting areas
- Establish and maintain nest boxes and monitoring programs
- Increasing education and appreciations for Barn Owls, grassland habitats, and the biodiversity that these grasslands support.
- Conserving, restoring and enhancing grassland habitat and the grassland wildlife corridors in Southern Ontario
- The future potential for implementing a trial Barn Owl release program
(Birds Studies Canada, www.bsc-eoc.org)
What can you do to help in your own home?
- Install Barn Owl nest boxes
- Report any Barn Owl sightings to places like Birds Studies Canada
- If you live in the country or have a lot of land, help by retiring any marginal farm plots to create meadow or prairies or designate an area of land that you would like to see become more of a ‘natural setting’ by not cutting the grass in that area or by planting native grass species. This will attract wildlife and increase biodiversity.
CONSERVATION STATUS: Endangered Species
Bird Studies Canada (BSC) is currently studying the decline of the Barn Owl in Ontario. BSC makes note that the Barn Owl was never very prominent in Ontario since it was considered the Northern part of its range, but with the clear cutting of forests by European Settlers coming to Canada their numbers began to increase along the north shore of Lake Erie. But over the past few decades, their population numbers have been consistently declining in the past few decades. This is likely to be from major changes in farming practices moving to large scale and intensely managed crops which lead to a massive loss of habitat such as meadows and wetlands and therefore loss of prey species and nesting sites (tree cavities and old buildings). In 1999, the Barn Owl was placed on the Endangered Species list by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), and since then only a handful of confirmed or possible sightings of individual Barn Owls and no breeding couples in Ontario.
The Ontario Barn Owl Recovery Program was created in 1997 by people in the Regional Municipality of Haldimand-Norfolk. And Bird Studies Canada began to create a recovery plan identifying how we can help increase Barn Owl population to a self-sustaining level. Some recommendations they make are:
- The need to monitor the existing populations and locating the current and potential nesting areas
- Establish and maintain nest boxes and monitoring programs
- Increasing education and appreciations for Barn Owls, grassland habitats, and the biodiversity that these grasslands support.
- Conserving, restoring and enhancing grassland habitat and the grassland wildlife corridors in Southern Ontario
- The future potential for implementing a trial Barn Owl release program
(Birds Studies Canada, www.bsc-eoc.org)
What can you do to help in your own home?
- Install Barn Owl nest boxes
- Report any Barn Owl sightings to places like Birds Studies Canada
- If you live in the country or have a lot of land, help by retiring any marginal farm plots to create meadow or prairies or designate an area of land that you would like to see become more of a ‘natural setting’ by not cutting the grass in that area or by planting native grass species. This will attract wildlife and increase biodiversity.
CONSERVATION STATUS: Endangered Species
Interesting Facts
- There are up to 46 known races of the Barn Owl found around the world, the North American is the largest weighing more than twice the size as the smallest from the Galapagos Island
- The Barn Owl is one of few birds where the female is showier than the male
- The Barn Owl is able to catch prey at night by sight, but their ability to locate prey by sound alone is the best of any animal that has been tested before
Want to Know More?
Check Out:
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
http://watch.birds.cornell.edu/nestcams/camera/view?cameraID=C100054
Birds Studies Canada
http://www.bsc-eoc.org/research/speciesatrisk/bnow/
Royal Ontario Museum
http://www.rom.on.ca/ontario/risk.php?doc_type=fact&lang=en&id=117
Barn Owl Ontario Recovery Strategy Series
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/266759.pdf
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
http://watch.birds.cornell.edu/nestcams/camera/view?cameraID=C100054
Birds Studies Canada
http://www.bsc-eoc.org/research/speciesatrisk/bnow/
Royal Ontario Museum
http://www.rom.on.ca/ontario/risk.php?doc_type=fact&lang=en&id=117
Barn Owl Ontario Recovery Strategy Series
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/266759.pdf