Western Barn Owl
Tyto alba
Where is it found?
Found in many habitats but mainly farmland near old farm buildings and barns
Diet and foraging method
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
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