What do they
look like?
The barn owl is easily distinguished from other owls by it heart-shaped
face, lack of ear tufts, long legs, and golden tan back and whitish
colored chest and underside. See more details below.
Where are
they found?
Barn owls are found statewide at structures such as barns and silos. They
live in open to partly open habitats such as grasslands, farmland, and
fresh and salt water marshes. They nest in natural tree cavities or
manmade nest boxes adjacent to fields or marshland. See more details
below.
What do
they eat?
Barn owls eat mostly small rodents such as mice, voles, and rats. Their
preferred prey is the meadow vole. They will also feed on small birds.
I didn't
know that!
A nesting pair of barn owls with six young may consume more than 1000 mice
during a three month nesting period.
Other Facts:
Habitat: Open areas,
such as grassy fields, old fields, wet meadows and wetland edges, around
farms and rural towns. Daytime roost is usually an evergreen tree, belfry
or barn.
Weight: Males, 14-19 ounces; females, 17-25 ounces.
Length: Males, 13-15 inches; females, 14-20 inches.
Wingspan: Males, 41-45 inches; females, 43-47 inches.
Life Expectancy: Few adults live beyond 3-4 years; high mortality the
first year.
Food: Meadow voles, mice and shrews; also bats, skunks and various birds;
frogs and large insects only if necessary.
Identification:
The barn owl has a white, heart-shaped facial disk, no ear tufts and long
legs. The bird appears white from below and golden-brown from above, with
black specks all over. The long wings fold beyond the tail and the legs
are feathered. The sexes can be distinguished by differences in coloration
and weight. Males usually have whiter breasts with fewer and smaller dark
specks. Females are typically heavier and have more and larger dark
specks. Chicks are covered with down when born, but 8 to 10 weeks later
they acquire adult-like plumage.
Range:
The barn owl is found on every continent except Antarctica. The species is
considered partly migratory in the northeastern United States, although
many individuals remain there throughout the winter. Band recoveries
indicate that some northeastern barn owls winter in Texas and the
southeastern part of the country.
Reproduction:
Barn owls are monogamous (one mate). They are not aggressive toward other
barn owls and can nest within a half mile of other pairs. Barn owls are
sexually mature at 1 year of age and, because they have a short lifespan,
they breed only once or twice. Both natural and human-made sites are used
for nesting and they are generally used repeatedly by other barn owls
throughout the years. Nest sites include tree cavities, barns, abandoned
and occupied buildings, and chimneys. Males use a courtship call to show
the female the nest site. Barn owls do not construct a nest; the eggs are
laid in a dark space surrounded by pellets. These brownish-black pellets,
which are the regurgitated fur and bone fragments of each meal, average
about 2 inches in size and are produced twice a day.
The 5-11 eggs (average 4-6) are laid every other day. The female incubates
the eggs for 30-34 days, starting when the first egg is laid. Hatching
occurs in the same order as the eggs were laid, so a gradation of ages and
sizes can be observed in a brood. In times of scarce food, the older and
stronger young have a better chance of survival. Stronger, first-hatched
nestlings have been observed eating and trampling younger, later-hatched
owls. The young are fed by both adults for approximately 2 months. The
adult male does most of the hunting and feeding.
Reason for Decline:
Land use changes,
particularly the decrease in the number of farms, have contributed to the
decline of this species. Not only has foraging habitat been reduced, but
the increased use of rodent poisons has resulted in a smaller food base.
Natural nest sites in hollow trees are often limited, and human
disturbance of the nest during incubation may cause nest abandonment. One
common cause of mortality is predation of young barn owls by raccoons.
Other mortality factors include exposure to harsh weather, electrocution
by power lines, predation by dogs and great-horned owls, and accidental
entanglement in farm and industrial machinery.
Interesting Facts:
The barn owl has
exceptionally keen hearing and eyesight, making it a very effective
hunter. It can see during the day, but its relatively small eyes (for an
owl) are directed forward and are better adapted for night vision. The
ears are asymmetrical; one is level with the nostril and the other is
higher, nearer the forehead. They are covered with feathered flaps that
close for loud noises and open for soft sounds. The barn owl's hearing is
so sharp that it can easily hunt for voles and shrews, which are often
concealed from view as they travel in runways beneath the grass. A family
of 2 adults and 6 young may consume over 1,000 rodents during the 3-month
nesting period.
Barn owls make a wide variety of sounds. The most common adult sounds are
alarm shrieks, conversational calls (shorter, less intense shrieks), and a
rapid squeaking or ticking, which is associated with the pair. The
rasping, food-begging call of the young can be heard almost continuously
from soon after sunset until just before sunrise. The young also hiss and
bill-click when disturbed.
While perched, the barn owl has a habit of lowering its head and swaying
from side to side. The bird sleeps so soundly during the day that it is
difficult to wake it up until darkness arrives.
Other names for the barn owl are golden owl, white owl, monkey-faced owl
and white-breasted barn owl.
