Western Barn Owl
Tyto alba
Where is it found?
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Found in many habitats but mainly farmland near old farm buildings and barns
Diet and foraging method
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Nocturnal hunter. Barn owls fly low to the ground and pick up prey with their feet.
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Key adaptations
They have large talons for picking up prey and a sharp beak to kill prey by nipping the back of their skull.
Social organisation and mating system
Solitary
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Monogamous pairs
Did you know that...?
Barn Owls have acute hearing, and are the best birds at locating prey using sound. This is because they has asymmetric ears and a large facial discs that collects sounds like a radar dish.
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Kerkuil André" by André Eijkenaar - Toegestuurd door André Eijkenaar. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 nl via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kerkuil_Andr%C3%A9.JPG#/media/File:Kerkuil_Andr%C3%A9.JPG
"Tyto alba 1 Luc Viatour" by I, Luc Viatour. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tyto_alba_1_Luc_Viatour.jpg#/media/File:Tyto_alba_1_Luc_Viatour.jpg
"Barn-owl-phil-haynes" by Phil Haynes - http://www.flickr.com/photos/27735353@N08/4190681708/. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barn-owl-phil-haynes.jpg#/media/File:Barn-owl-phil-haynes.jpg
"Schleiereule". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schleiereule.jpg#/media/File:Schleiereule.jpg
"Kerkuil André" by André Eijkenaar - Toegestuurd door André Eijkenaar. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 nl via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kerkuil_Andr%C3%A9.JPG#/media/File:Kerkuil_Andr%C3%A9.JPG
"Tyto alba 1 Luc Viatour" by I, Luc Viatour. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tyto_alba_1_Luc_Viatour.jpg#/media/File:Tyto_alba_1_Luc_Viatour.jpg
"Barn-owl-phil-haynes" by Phil Haynes - http://www.flickr.com/photos/27735353@N08/4190681708/. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Barn-owl-phil-haynes.jpg#/media/File:Barn-owl-phil-haynes.jpg
"Schleiereule". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schleiereule.jpg#/media/File:Schleiereule.jpg
