The Barn Owl is a common sight, but it’s one worth seeing. They’re quiet hunters who are active at night and sleep during the day. They have extremely acute hearing. They need to be examined more closely than other owls and predatory birds. Thankfully, you may find out 20 interesting things about Barn Owls that you didn’t know!
20 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT BARN OWLS
Barn Owls have a captivating appeal. They have a strange and somewhat terrifying appearance, particularly at night, due to their pale plumage and huge, entirely black eyes. Because of their nocturnal habits, they may be difficult to see at times, but we do know a few things about them for sure. Look no further for information on Barn Owls, or for a comprehensive understanding of these fascinating birds.
To learn more about these beautiful nocturnal predators, keep reading!
1. BARN OWLS ARE FOUND AROUND THE WORLD
The most common species of owl and one of the most common forms of birds in general is the Barn Owl. With the exception of Antarctica, they may be found across every continent. They can be found in most of the United States, as well as some sections of Canada, in North America.
2. BARN OWLS LIVE IN ALL SORTS OF HABITATS
Barn Owls’ adaptability to a wide variety of habitats is one of the reasons they can survive in most parts of the globe. Places like the Arctic, where the cold climate is too harsh and there aren’t enough food sources, are the only ones they can’t bear. Barn Owls, on the other hand, thrive in wooded areas with ample hunting grounds, as well as farmland, woodland, marshes, meadows, and deserts.
3. BARN OWLS REALLY DO LIKE BARNS
The name of these owls comes from the fact that they live in a barn. Barn Owls are likely to seek shelter in a quiet barn on vast open land, since they prefer to construct their nests in wide open areas. The Owls’ main food source is rodents, so barns offer excellent shelter from the weather and predators.
4. BARN OWLS NEST IN A VARIETY OF PLACES
Barn Owls don’t always nest in barns, but this doesn’t mean that they don’t nest elsewhere. In addition to barns, such as cliffs, tree holes, caves, nesting boxes, church steeples, and other hollow spaces, these opportunistic owls nest in all sorts of natural and man-made settings.
5. BARN OWLS OFFER PEST CONTROL
Barn Owls are masters of keeping pests at bay, so a clever farmer who discovers one nesting in their barn would be pleased. A Barn Eat eats just one rat every day, and a family of owls may consume as many as 1,000 in a year, according to The Peregrine Fund. Free, natural pest control in the form of Barn Owls is a pretty terrific deal because an infestation of mice and rats could spell doom for crops and animals.
6. RODENTS AREN’T THE ONLY PART OF A BARN OWL’S DIET
Barn Owls eat rodents, but they aren’t the only thing they consume. Other tiny animals, small reptiles, insects, bats, and even other birds are eaten by Barn Owls. They have a diverse diet. In general, it is legal to capture small and active nocturnal creatures when the owls are hunting.
7. BARN OWLS ARE SILENT FLIERS
The tips of Barn Owls’ wings are extremely delicate feathers that allow them to flap and glide without producing a sound. As a result, they are stealthy predators who can quietly approach and surprise prey.
8. BARN OWLS DON’T CHEW THEIR FOOD
Barn Owls swallow their meal entirely, which is one of the most fascinating aspects about them. The owls regurgitate pellets instead of everything getting processed by their bodies, since their systems can’t process these materials. Owls and other birds have a organ known as the gizzard that produces pellets. These pellets are examined by scientists to understand more about owls and include the difficult to break down components of their meals, such as bones and fur.
9. BARN OWL NESTS ARE MADE OUT OF PELLETS
Barn Owls are very domestic birds. They make their nests with pellets that they cough up and shred with their talons, shaping them into a cup as they go. These nests will be used by Barn Owls for the remainder of the season, and other owls may reuse them next season when they are done. Some Barn Owls, on the other hand, have made burrow-like nests in specific areas, and some nests aren’t as meticulously constructed. One of the most notable facts about Barn Owls is that they are nocturnal.
10. BARN OWLS STORE FOOD FOR LATER
Barn Owls will store extra food reserves at their nesting sites when they’re nesting. During incubation, they begin stockpiling food so that when the babies are born, they have something to eat. Being prepared with dozens of extra meals is a fantastic way to make sure their children are well looked after.
11. MALE BARN OWLS IMPRESS FEMALES WITH FLIGHT DISPLAYS
Male Barn Owls take to the air to attract females. They use distinct display flights to attract females, according to All About Birds. They fly with their feet dangling in a “moth flight” in front of the female in one display.
12. FEMALE BARN OWLS ARE OFTEN MORE COLORFUL THAN MALES
In many species of birds and animals, males are more colorful and noticeable. The chest plumage of the female Barn Owl is brighter and she has more spots, compared to the male.
13. THE MORE SPOTS THE BETTER
Females with more spots on their breasts may be more durable than females with less. Females with more parasite-covered areas are less likely to get sick. During nesting, males also provide them with more food.
14. BARN OWLS HAVE THEIR OWN TAXONOMY FAMILY
Barn Owls are classified differently from the other North American owl species. The Tytonidae family, which comes from Greek and means “night owl,” is home to Barn Owls. However, most other owls in North America belong to the Strigidae family, which means “typical owl.”
15. BARN OWLS CAN HUNT IN TOTAL DARKNESS
The ability to capture prey in complete darkness is thanks to the Barn Owls’ exceptional hearing. They can sense the tiniest sound made by prey and use it to locate themselves. The ability to detect prey that is concealed, such as grass or snow, likewise aids them in their search.
16. BARN OWLS CAN MEMORIZE DIFFERENT SOUNDS
Barn Owls have the ability to remember the different noises that prey makes, not only can they hear noises that humans cannot perceive, they can also hear them. This allows them to keep track of what their prey is doing, whether they are still, eating, or moving around.
17. BARN OWLS HAVE UNEVEN EARS
Owls’ ears are positioned at various heights on the sides of their skulls, including Barn Owls and other types. To enhance their sense of where the sound originated without having to rotate their heads, their ears face in various directions. The little feathers around their ears and faces are under control of Barn Owls, which also aids in the delivery of sound into their ears.
18. BARN OWLS DON’T HOOT
Barn Owls aren’t reliable for deep hoots, so instead trust Great Horned Owls for that. Barn Owls emit guttural, foreboding screeches instead of hooting. If they sense a danger or predator nearby, they’ll emit a loud, long hiss.
19. THERE ARE MANY RACES OF BARN OWLS
Barn Owls come in a variety of races because they are found all over the globe. In reality, these owls come in up to 46 different races, the North American Barn Owls being the most common. The Galapagos Islands are home to the world’s smallest Barn Owl race.
20. BARN OWLS ARE OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD
Barn Owls are often misjudged and mistook to be bad omens, which is an unfortunate reality about them. Their eerie cries and wails, as well as their ghostly look during the night when they appear to be totally white like spirits with shrouded black eyes, are most likely the cause of this. Yet, as Barn Owls aid in the control of rest pests, this is clearly incorrect.