Facts about Barn Owls
The Barn Owl is a pale, long-winged, long-legged owl with a short squarish tail. A nesting pair of barn owls with six young may consume more than 1000 mice during a three month nesting period. The Barn Owl is the most widely distributed species of owl, and one of the most widespread of all birds. The Barn Owl has acute hearing, with ears placed asymmetrically for improved detection of sound position and distance, and it does not require sight to hunt. They have a wingspan of about 75-100 cm. Depending on subspecies, it measures c.25-45 cm in overall length. This owl has a long list of common names which include White Owl, Silver Owl, Demon Owl, Ghost Owl, Death Owl, Night Owl, Rat Owl, Monkey-faced Owl, Church Owl, Cave Owl or Stone Owl, Golden Owl, Hissing Owl and Screech Owl. Their heart-shaped face is usually bright white, but in some subspecies it is browner. The light face with its peculiar shape and the black eyes give the flying bird an odd and startling appearance, like a flat mask with oversized oblique black eyeslids, the ridge of feathers above the bill somewhat resembling a nose. Their bill varies from pale horn to dark buff, corresponding to the general plumage hue. It hunts by flying low and slowly over an area of open ground, hovering over spots that conceal potential prey. Tail shape is a way of distinguishing the Barn Owl from true owls when seen in flight, as are the wavering motions and the open dangling feathered legs. The iris of Barn Owls is blackish brown. Nest sites of Barn Owls include tree stumps and cliff crevices, but these owls will readily nest in attics, vacant and ruined buildings, and even wells, chimneys, hunting blinds and similar locations. The usual clutch of these owls consists of roughly half a dozen eggs, but may be as small as 2. The Barn Owl feeds primarily on small vertebrates, particularly rodents. Contrary to what is sometimes assumed, the Barn Owl does not eat domestic animals on any sort of regular basis; it might snatch a young chicken or guinea pig once or twice in its life, but that is all. Natural predators of the Barn Owl include large American opossums (Didelphis), the Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor), and similar carnivorous mammals, as well as large raptors such as hawks, eagles, and other owls. Though humans are the biggest threat to them. Studies have shown that an individual Barn Owl may eat one or more rodents per night; a nesting pair and their young can eat more than 1,000 rodents per year. |
SEARCH
Sponsors
Related Links |