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About Barn Owl (Click-Readmore)


BARN OWL

Scientific name: Tyto alba
Family: Tytonidae
Length: 32 – 40cm
Mass: 430 – 620g 
Class: Aves
Conservation status: Least Concern (Population stable)

Barn owls are beautiful and widespread members of the owl family. These flying predators can be found virtually anywhere besides polar and desert regions. The common barn owl is a member of the larger “barn owl” family Tytonidae.

Distribution:

These owls can be found on every continent except for Antarctica. They can be found in virtually all of Europe, most of Africa, India, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australia, and a number of islands. In Africa they are excluded from the Sahara Desert. In North America they are generally found south of Canada.

Behaviour:

Barn owls are solitary, but they are not overly territorial. They have home ranges that they prefer to remain in, but these can overlap with other birds. Unless food sources become scarce they usually remain in their home territory for most of their lives.

Diet:

The Barn Owl’s diet consists mainly of small mammals particularly;
Field Voles (45% of total British Barn Owl diet)
Common Shrews (20%)
Wood Mice (15%)
House Mice, Brown Rats, Bank Voles and Pygmy Shrews are also taken.

Reproduction:

Most barn owls are monogamous, which means they will mate with the same partner until one of them dies. Before she lays eggs, the female will remain close to the nest and the male will provide food for her. She will lay five eggs on average, and incubate them for about one month. During this time the male continually brings her food, to the point where it piles up around her.