Barn Owl |
Photo © KPC |
Barn Owl Tyto alba Year round resident of the katy prairie Description 18" (46 cm). W. 3' 8" (1.1 m). Crow-sized. Buff-brown above and white below, with heart-shaped face and numerous fine dark dots on white underparts; dark eyes, long legs. Voice Hissing notes, screams, guttural grunts, and bill snapping. Young give rapid grackle-like clicks. Habitat Open country, forest edges and clearings, cultivated areas, and cities. Nesting 5-10 white eggs on bare wood or stone in buildings, hollow trees, caves, or even in burrows. Range Resident from southern British Columbia, Dakotas, Michigan, and southern New England southward. Also in South America and Old World. Discussion This nocturnal ghost of a bird frequents such places as belfries, deserted buildings, and hollow trees. It hunts its food -- almost entirely rodents -- in garbage dumps, neglected cemeteries, run-down farms, and empty lots in large cities. In the glare of auto headlights, a flying Barn Owl looks snow white and so is often mistaken for a Snowy Owl. Barn Owls are effective mousers and take many rats. Contrary to popular belief, owls see well by day, but their large eyes do give them especially good night vision. Experiments have shown, however, that Barn Owls depend on keen hearing to locate their prey. When food is scarce they lay fewer eggs or may not breed at all. |
