General

Barn Owl: Medium-sized owl with glaring white, heart-shaped facial disk, no ear tufts, and long legs. Upperparts are orange-brown with fine white spots and dark bars. Underparts are white with small black spots. Female is darker than male.

Range and Habitat

Barn Owl: Occurs on every continent except Antarctica. Found in a vast range of habitats, from rural to urban, but prefers warm climates with mild winters. Nearby open grassland is essential; rarely found in deep forests or mountains.

Breeding and Nesting

Barn Owl: Mates for life; because life expectancy is 2 years or less, reproductive rate is higher than that of other owls. Lays from 2 to 12 round, white eggs, usually more when prey is abundant. Builds nest inside barns, silos, church steeples, abandoned buildings, and hollow trees.

Foraging and Feeding

Barn Owl: Feeds on small mammals such as mice, voles, and shrews; also consumes small birds.

Vocalization

Barn Owl: Calls range from a rasping hiss to hair-raising screams of "kiiissh" and "shrreeeee, shrreeeee." Does not hoot like other owls.

Similar Species

Barn Owl: Short-eared Owl is streaked, has darker face and underparts, yellow eyes, and shorter legs.