Barn Owls: Tytonidae - Physical Characteristics, Geographic Range, Behavior And Reproduction, Common Barn Owl (tyto Alba): Species Account - HABITAT, DIET, BARN OWLS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS
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Barn owls need a mix of wooded areas and open space. They also require tree cavities, caves, or other protected areas for nest sites.
Barn owls eat mostly small mammals such as voles and mice. They will also take birds, reptiles, amphibians, and large insects, however. In Australia, where there are no native mammals, barn owls prey on small marsupials. Barn owl pellets have a distinctive dark coating of mucus.
With their pale feathers and eerie calls, barn owls are sometimes called "ghost owls" or "spirit owls." In many cultures, they are regarded as associates of witches. They have a long history of living in association with humans. Evidence from Pleistocene cave dwellings shows that owls and humans shared the same caves.
Three species are listed as Endangered, facing a very high risk of extinction, on the IUCN Red List, the Madagascar red owl, Africa bay owl, and the Taliabu masked owl. One barn owl species, the Minahassa masked owl, is listed as Vulnerable, facing a high risk of extinction.
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Like "typical" owls in the family Strigidae, barn owls have forward-facing eyes, excellent vision in dim light, and very sensitive ears. (Research shows that the common barn owl can locate prey by sound alone in complete darkness.) Tytonids differ from "typical" owls in having long, compressed bills, rather short tails, and rather long legs. The facial disk is heart-sha…
Most barn owls are solitary in their habits, but some of the smallest species will gather in groups to hunt and roost when prey is plentiful. Usually they hunt from perches, but some of the smallest species hunt on the wing. Barn owls are almost exclusively nocturnal. They return to their roosts at dawn, often calling as they do so. They sleep by day, usually balancing on one leg with the wings cl…
Physical characteristics: Sometimes called simply the barn owl, this species is widely distributed. Populations in different locations can be quite different in size and appearance. They range in length from 11 to 17 inches (29 to 44 centimeters) and vary in weight from 0.4 to 1.5 pounds (0.2 to 0.7 kilograms). The North American subspecies is the largest. The feathers are subtly colored but qui…
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