Barn Owl (Tyto alba)

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A Field Guide to Eastern Birds. by Roger Tory Peterson.

Return to Barn Owls

Color Photographs: Copyright Corel Corp.

Barn Owl (Tyto alba)

Identification: Length from tip of bill to tip of tail 18 inches. Back and wings a mixture of dark and light brown, irregular patches flecked with white. Back of head and neck light brown. Face flattened, heart-shaped, white, with black eyes. Legs elongate. Underside of wings white. Base of legs with white feathers with scattered dark brown flecks.

Similar Species:  A distinctive species unlikely to be confused with any other owl.

Breeding Range (see map below): The barn owl is resident throughout almost all of the United States except for the northern tier of states. The species also lives in tropical America and in the Old World.

Overwintering Range:  See above.

Habitat: The Barn Owl is found in open country and along the edges of forests and woodlots. The species is sometimes also found in urban areas and farm yards.

Food: Rodents.

Behavior:  Like almost all owls the Barn Owl is a nocturnal bird. It is commonly found in old, deserted buildings, church steeples, and barns. The species often hunts for its rodent prey in garbage dumps and around old farms. The voice consists of a wide variety of hisses, screams, and grunts.

Reproduction:  The clutch consists of 5 to 10 white eggs. The eggs are laid on bare surfaces in deserted buildings, caves, and hollow trees.