Barn Owl
Tagged: animal, animals, bird, mammal( image )
Barn owl are found in all continents with the exception of Antartica. They have a very wide range of habitats, but they generally prefer open spaces and warm and tempere climates. With its ghostly white, heart shaped face, solemn eyes and wide wingspan, the barn owl patrols open garssland at night noiselessly hunting prey. More nocturnal than most owls, this striking and adaptable bird is probably the most widespread of all land birds, found on every continent except Antarctica. It is the farmer’s friend, killing rodents such as mice. Ironically, though, modern farming practices have caused the owl’s decline in some areas.
Mates for life
Once barn owls mate, they usually remain partners for life. The male starts courtship by calling and chassing after the female. He performs a display flight, including loud wing claps, and feed her. No effort is made to build or line a nest: instead, the pair use an old tree hollow, cave or old building such as a barn, hence their name. The female lays her eggs in a dark cavity and incubates them. Each egg is laid two or three days apart, so they hatch at different times. The older chicks, called owlets, are fed first, leading to starvation of the younger ones when food is scarce; the older owlets then eat their dead siblings, assuring their survival.
Part of bodies
- long powerfull legs – cushion impact of hunting and landing and are covered in white feathers
- tail feathers – help to stabilize the bird as it swoops down on its prey
- hooked beak – for tearing meat
- wings – are rounded in shape
- large, forward-looking eyes to gather all available light and judge distance
- tear streaks – run diagonally from eyes down to beak
- asymmetrical ears – allow the owl to pinpoint prey in darkness
- neck turns 270 degree – to compensate for fact that the owls eyes only look forward, not sideways
Statistics
- status – comman
- lenght – 29-44 cm
- wingspan – 107 cm
- weight – 300-650 g
- migration – partial seasonal migrant
- plumage – sexes a like
- sexual maturity – 1-2 years
- breeding season – spring in temperate regions; year round in tropics
- incubation period – 33 days
- number of eggs – 4-7; exceptionally 15
- breeding interval – 6 to 12 months; temperate regions; 3 months, tropics.
- diet – small birds and mammals
- lifespan – up to 10 years
Related species
Barn owls, along with bay owls, are separately classified from other owls. They make up the tytonidae family, which has about 15 members. They include the sooty owl (Tyto tenebricosa) from Australia and surrounding countries and the African grass owl (T.capensis). About 35 subspecies of the barn owl have been identified. All have a light-coloured or white heart-shaped face with large, dark eyes but they differ slightly in factors such as size and colour.
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