Barn Owl British Birds

British Birds: Barn Owl

The Barn Owl

Jake Davies

With its distinctive, heart-shaped face, the barn owl is possibly the most easily recognizable of all the owls.

The genus Tyto, is the most widely distributed, world-wide, of all the various owls.

Tyto alba, the western barn owl, is the species seen in Britain, where it is found throughout the British Isles. It can also be found throughout Europe, in many parts of Africa, and in a few areas of the Middle East.

The western barn owl nests in cavities. While this can include holes in trees or rock fissures, or disused nests of larger birds, they tend to prefer man-made structures like barns, churches, farm sheds. They are sometimes known as barnyard owls, church owls, or cave owls.

They do not hoot, rather their call is more of a screech, which gives rise to several of their other names, such as hissing owl, or screech owl.

Other common names include demon owl, ghost owl, death owl, monkey-faced owl, rat owl, stone owl, and straw owl.

The barn owl is primarily nocturnal, beginning its hunting at dusk, but in Britain they are sometimes active during the day.

Their primary diet consists of small mammals such as voles and shrews, though they will eat small birds and insects.

While they do have very good eyesight, their primary hunting tool is extremely acute hearing, with their ears placed asymmetrically, though their ears are not visible. The shape of the face also helps in sound collection.

Barn owls will mate for life, but if a mate dies then the the survivor will look for a new mate. Egg laying is stimulated by an environment rich in prey, so late Spring is common in the UK, but in good years two brood may be raised.

Most young barn owls die within their first year, but for those that survive, their lifespan averages about four years.

It is estimated there are about 40,000 breeding pairs in the UK.