# Barn Owl (*Tyto alba*) The Barn Owl has a heart-shaped face and is known for its ghostly appearance! It often hunts in fields and can fly silently to catch its prey. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Farmlands and open fields - **Also known as:** Common Barn Owl, Ghost Owl, White Owl ![Barn Owl](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426945/objects/4605.jpg) ## Appearance The Barn Owl has a striking white, heart-shaped face and dark, beady eyes. Its underside is pure white or pale buff, contrasting with golden-brown upperparts speckled with grey and black dots. This unique face makes it easily distinguishable. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Strigiformes - **Family:** Tytonidae - **Genus:** Tyto ## Interesting facts - A Barn Owl's big eyes can't move, so they move their entire head to look around! - Barn Owls often nest in old barns or abandoned buildings, giving them their name! - They can sometimes have two families of babies in one year if food is plentiful! - They swallow their prey whole, then later cough up a pellet of undigested bones and fur. ## Special abilities - **Silent Hunter:** Barn Owls have super soft, specialized feathers that let them fly almost silently, surprising their prey. - **Super Hearing:** Barn Owls have asymmetrical ear openings and a facial disc that help them pinpoint tiny sounds, even in total darkness. - **Head Swivel:** Barn Owls can turn their heads almost all the way around, up to 270 degrees, to spot prey without moving their bodies. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 32-40 cm - **Wingspan:** 80-95 cm - **Weight:** 0.3-0.6 kg - **Lifespan:** 1-4 years - **Speed:** 32 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 4-7 - **Incubation:** 30-34 days ## Diet & Feeding They are expert hunters who mostly eat small rodents like voles and mice. - **Primary Foods:** voles, mice, shrews, lemmings, rats, small birds - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Meadow Vole (*Microtus pennsylvanicus*) — A primary food source, keeping their populations in check. - **Hunts:** [House Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-mouse) (*Mus musculus*) — A common prey item, especially near human settlements. - **Hunts:** [Common Shrew](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-shrew) (*Sorex araneus*) — A small, fast mammal often caught by owls. - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Can sometimes prey on smaller Barn Owls if given the opportunity. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Ambush Predator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ambush-predator): An ambush predator hunts by patiently waiting and concealing itself, then launching a sudden attack when unsuspecting prey comes within range. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Barn Owl? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Barn Owl? 32-40 cm ### What is Barn Owl's wingspan? 80-95 cm ### How much does Barn Owl weigh? 0.3-0.6 kg ### How long does Barn Owl live? 1-4 years ### How fast can Barn Owl move? 32 km/h ### What does Barn Owl eat? They are expert hunters who mostly eat small rodents like voles and mice. ### Where is Barn Owl usually found? Farmlands and open fields ## Where to spot - [Colchester Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/colchester-zoo) — England, GB · Zoo - [Orange County Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/orange-county-zoo) — California, US · Zoo - [Aalborg Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/aalborg-zoo) — North Denmark Region, DK · Zoo - [Screech Owl Sanctuary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/screech-owl-sanctuary) — England, GB · Zoo - [Wildpark Christianental Wernigerode](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wildpark-christianental-wernigerode) — Sachsen-Anhalt, DE · Zoo - [Affen- und Vogelpark Eckenhagen](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/affen-vogelpark-eckenhagen) — Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Zoo [View all places to see Barn Owl](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/barn-owl) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Barn Owl: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/barn-owl)