The long-legged Barn Owl (Tyto alba) with its white, heart-shaped face and dark eyes is unique and unmistakable. This is the only owl with this facial pattern. The light buff plumage is conspicuous in flight . It is sometimes mistaken for the Snowy Owl. The Barn Owl has no ear tufts. Color varies from bird to bird, some being quite dark.
Pale colored birds are usually male, while the darkest birds are always females.
The crow-sized Barn Owl (length: 15-21 inches, wingspread: 3'8"), which nests in barns, belfries and hollow trees, is important in controlling rodents injurious to orchard and garden crops. It has no close relatives but has a world-wide range. Adults and young are similar. It is a permanent resident throughout its range. The female lays 5 to11 rough white, unmarked eggs. (1.6 x 1.2 inches.) The incubation period lasts from 32 to 34 days, with a fledging period of 9 to 12 weeks. Quite often a pair will raise two broods in a year. As is usual with owls, incubation starts with the laying of the first egg, resulting in staggered hatching. This can mean great disparity in size and the development of the chicks, sometimes resulting in the last to hatch not surviving.
It nests underground in burrows or holes in embankments or elevated nests of other birds; steeples or barns. There is usually no nest, but the owls sometimes use rubbish or debris. Food includes mice, rats, gophers and some birds. It has also been known to feed on bats, frogs, lizards, large insects and even fish. Typical call is a raspy, hissing screech. The owl's habitat is woodlands, groves, fields, farms, towns, canyons or cliffs.
The image at top shows a group of plush toy Barn Owl stuffed animals. They are a WOWs Barn Owl with glow in the dark eyes, a plush toy Wildlife Artists Barn Owl, a Cuddlekins Barn Owl from Wild Republic, a Cabin Critters Barn Owl, a Jim Shore Barn Owl figurine and Swoop and Rafter the Barn Owls from Douglas. Find these plush toy Barn Owl stuffed animals and gifts at our sponsor's online gift shop.
