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Barn Owl

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Birds

                    iBarn Owl

                             Conservation status

   Least Concern (LC)
            Scientific classification

   Kingdom: Animalia
   Phylum:  Chordata
   Class:   Aves
   Order:   Strigiformes
   Family:  Tytonidae
   Genus:   Tyto
   Species: T. alba

                                Binomial name

   Tyto alba
   ( Scopoli, 1769)

                                  Synonyms

   Strix alba Scopoli, 1769
   Lechusa stirtoni Miller, 1956

   The Barn Owl (Tyto alba) or, to distinguish it from relatives, Common
   Barn Owl, is an owl in the barn owl family Tytonidae. This is one of
   the two groups of owls, the other being the typical owls Strigidae.
   (Any member of the family Tytonidae is sometimes referred to as a Barn
   Owl.)

   These are pale, long-winged, long-legged owls, 33–39 cm in length with
   an 80–95 cm wingspan. They have an effortless wavering flight as they
   quarter pastures or similar hunting grounds.

   There are a number of subspecies differing in underpart colour. For
   example, T. a. alba of western Europe is almost pure white below, but
   T.a. guttata of central Europe is orange. The Australian, Melanesian
   and Pacific forms may constitute a separate species, the Eastern Barn
   Owl, T. (alba) delicatula. All races have grey and ochre upperparts.

   These are birds of open country such as farmland, preferentially
   hunting along the edges of woods. They are fairly sedentary and
   nocturnal or crepuscular.

   Barn Owls occur worldwide, on every continent except Antarctica.
   Sometimes they are called monkey-faced owls because of their
   appearance. Other common names are church owl, golden owl, rat owl, and
   stone owl.
   Barn Owl
   Enlarge
   Barn Owl

   Barn Owls feed on voles, frogs and insects, but are economically
   valuable birds as they also prey on animal pests like rats, shrews,
   moles and mice.

   Other than human persecution, they have few predators, although large
   owls such as the Eurasian Eagle Owl and the Great Horned Owl will kill
   smaller species if the opportunity arises. Farmers often encourage Barn
   Owl habitations for rodent control by providing nest sites such as a
   wooden nest box or a large drum installed sideways in a barn. An adult
   Barn Owl will eat approximately 3 mice per day. A pair raising 3-5
   owlets will consume many more rodents.

   Barn Owls have a notable shreee scream, ear-shattering at close range.
   They also hiss like steam kettles. When captured or cornered, they
   throw themselves on their backs and flail with sharp-taloned feet, an
   effective defence. Contrary to popular belief, they do not make the
   call "tu-whit to-whoo".
   Global distribution of Tyto alba.
   Enlarge
   Global distribution of Tyto alba.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barn_Owl"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
