Barn Owls: Tytonidae

Barn owls are widely distributed. The species for which the family is named, the barn owl, is the world's most widespread species of land bird. Barn owls are found on every continent except Antarctica and on many islands. No members of the family are found in Earth's coldest regions, however. No barn owls live in the Arctic or in the northernmost parts of Europe, Asia, or North America. Barn owls are also absent from the driest desert regions such as the Sahara and the Middle East.