Barn Owl

Quick Take

• Barn owls have a built-in feature that lets them hunt in complete darkness, and this ability has nothing to do with their eyes. Hear how sound guides them →
• About 25% of barn owl pairs break up, and the reason they split turns out to be more calculated than it sounds. Explore their mating habits →
• Several ancient cultures believed barn owls were literally inhabited by the dead, a legend that their biology makes easy to understand. Discover the death legends →
• Female barn owls with a specific physical trait are far more attractive to males, and the reason may surprise you. See what attracts mates →

Barn owls are a globally widespread bird species known for their ghostly white faces, haunting screeches, and remarkable silent hunting abilities. They play a vital ecological role as rodent predators and have long held significance in various cultures as symbols of death or the afterlife.

Because these owls are so widespread, there are about 10 recognized subspecies of the western barn owl (Tyto alba) that vary in size and coloration, which are distributed across North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

The scientific name of the barn owl, Tyto alba, means ‘white owl.’ It comes from the Greek word for owl, tyto, and the Latin word for white, alba. Barn owls belong to the family Tytonidae rather than Strigidae, and differ from members of the latter in several ways, including having a longer, narrower skull, longer legs, and a wishbone fused to the sternum.

Appearance and Physical Characteristics

The barn owl is best known for its bright white, heart-shaped face. Their heads are smooth and, unlike those of many other owl species, they do not have ear tufts. The owl’s eyes are large and dark. Their faces are framed by brown and grey feathers, as are the backs of their wings and their bodies. The wings are short, rounded, and pale beneath. Female owls with more spots on their chests and plumage are more desirable to males.

Buoyant in flight, the barn owl’s feathers are designed to break up turbulent air and funnel it over the wing. The velvety, soft feathers of the bird are stiff-edged to comb the air, contributing to the owl’s silent flight.

These owls weigh approximately 0.88 to 1.57 pounds, with the biggest barn owl weighing in at about 1.5 pounds. Males tend to be lighter and smaller than females. These birds can be anywhere from about 12.5 to 15 inches tall. Their wingspan is about 39 to 49 inches.

Behavior

Barn owls are nocturnal hunters, using their acute hearing to locate prey. Their facial disks funnel sound to their ears, enhancing their ability to detect even the faintest rustle. These owls swallow their prey whole and then regurgitate pellets after most of the animal has been digested. These pellets can be up to 1.5 inches long, and scientists study them to learn about the barn owl’s diet.

Their eyes are twice as sensitive as the human eye. This, along with their large wingspan relative to their body size, buoyancy in flight, and unique feather design, helps them hunt silently in open fields.

The barn owl’s vocalizations are distinctive, consisting of high-pitched screeches rather than the hoots typical of other owl species. These screeches are often described as banshee-like.

Habitat

The many subspecies of these owls can be found all over the world in various habitats. They are an adaptable species that can live in most environments, from deserts to lush farmland. They get their name from their tendency to roost in abandoned barns, but they also roost in empty tree cavities and other hollow places such as bridges and observation towers. Because these owls are comfortable nesting in abandoned buildings, they can live in cities, suburbs, and other places that put them in close contact with human beings.

Diet

Barn owls are birds of prey, and they mostly target rats and mice. Sometimes, by dissecting pellets, scientists have found the occasional frog, smaller bird species, or even fish. Some of the smaller, island-dwelling barn owls survive on an insect-based diet.

Predators and Threats

Opossums, eagles, and raccoons prey on baby barn owls and barn owl eggs. Other owl species, such as the great horned owl and the eagle owl, also prey on their barn owl cousins.

These owls are a Least Concern species in terms of population decline. Their populations remain steady worldwide, but rehabilitation projects do exist in areas where barn owls are vanishing.

Reproduction, Babies, and Lifespan

When male owls are ready to attract a mate, they perform a mid-flight display by clapping their wings and flying back and forth to the nest. This courtship dance will include “moth flight,” a maneuver in which male owls hover in midair in front of the female.

These owls can have 1–3 broods per year, with breeding typically occurring seasonally, though tropical populations may breed year-round. They remain in one territory once they mate. Barn owls are generally monogamous, though about 25% of mated pairs divorce — typically when they cannot produce enough owlets together.

When preparing to lay eggs, barn owls choose trees closer to the large, open fields where they enjoy hunting, or abandoned places like barns. Females lay anywhere from 2 to 18 eggs, and the egg-laying takes place over multiple days. This spacing is so that the owlets do not hatch all at once. Each egg incubates for about 30 days. Chicks leave the nest after around 7–8 weeks and typically depart their parents’ home range entirely by about 14 weeks.

The average lifespan of a barn owl is around 4 years, with some living as long as 10 years in optimal conditions. Limited nesting sites, vehicle collisions, and rat poison ingestion contribute to their shortened lives.

Population

Because these owls are so widespread, it is difficult to obtain an accurate count of the population. Recent counts estimate that there are anywhere between 1.96 and 3.24 million barn owls in the world.

This species is listed as one of Least Concern by the IUCN’s Red List. Habitat decline is the biggest threat to these owls, though their populations remain mostly stable. The best way to help protect barn owls is to provide them with nesting sites, such as nesting boxes.

Cultural Significance

Many cultures have regarded barn owls as omens of death, with some, such as the ancient Egyptians, believing them to live in the realm of the dead. In England, barn owls often live in cemeteries — leading to the belief that the birds symbolize approaching death. Some Native American tribes believed that evil people became barn owls after death. Their ghostly faces, silent flight, and nocturnal behavior surely contributed to the barn owl’s frightening reputation. Owls are also associated with wisdom and were the symbol of the Greek goddess Athena, the goddess of wisdom.