The barn owl with its soft feathers and silent flight
protects our fields from mice.
Name
- Scientific name: Tyto alba
- Spanish: Lechuza común
- Catalan: Òliba / Xibeca
- Euskera: Hontz zuri
- Galician: Curuxa común
Classification
- Class: Birds
- Order: Owls
- Family: Barn Owls
- Species: Barn Owl
Degree of protection of the barn owl
Worldwide
The barn owl is a globally protected animal.
In Spain
The barn owl is listed as «endangered» in the Red Book of Spanish birds.
In Catalonia
It is a protected animal in a vulnerable state.
Distribution map of the barn owl
Distribution:
The barn owl inhabits temperate, subtropical and tropical zones of Africa, Europe, Australia, America and South Asia. This makes it one of the most widespread bird species in the world.
However, in industrial countries its population is drastically decreasing. Unfortunately, there are entire regions where it is already extinct.
Barn owl habitat
Worldwide
In its enormous worldwide range, the barn owl lives in all types of habitats, with the exception of:
- Closed forests.
- Interior of deserts. It needs daily access to water.
- High mountain. It is not prepared to survive in a cold climate for a long time.
In Europe
They can be found in open agricultural landscapes with nearby villages.
Nutrition
The barn owl is carnivorous
Mice make up 97% of their diet.
In emergencies, it can also hunt:
- Bats
- Small birds
- Frogs
- Insects
How does the barn owl hunt?
The barn owl is a nocturnal bird
It hunts at dusk and at night. Its exceptional hearing helps it detect noises made by rodents.
Can it hunt during the day?
The owl goes hunting during the day in cases of:
- Rain that does not allow it to hunt during the night.
- When it has offspring and has to ensure food for the whole family.
The habits of the barn owl
What does the barn owl do during the day?
It spends most of the day standing motionless in its roosting site. This site is usually far from its nest.
Where does the barn owl nest?
- Barns
- Church bell towers
- Tree cavities
Preparation for hunting
Before starting their activity, at dusk, the owls stretch and shake themselves. They then clean themselves extensively and, with their beaks, grease their feathers with a secretion from a gland on top of their tails.
Hygiene
Baths and rain showers regularly complement personal hygiene. They also like to sunbathe in the morning.
Barn owl reproduction
Lifetime partner
The owl, under optimal conditions, forms a pair for life. It reaches adulthood at just 10 months of age.
Eggs
The owl lays between 3 and 12 eggs two days apart. The female incubates them for 30 days. As soon as she lays the first egg, she starts incubating.
Barn owl broods
Chicks hatch asynchronously, so there are babies with different development in the same nest.
The female stays in the nest with the young for 3 weeks, while the male brings them food. After this time, both parents go hunting.
Cainism
If there is not enough food for everyone, the mother kills the weak hatchlings. She feeds them to the other babies. This way they have a better chance of survival.
Emancipation
At 31 days of age, the hatchlings begin to practice hunting. They run and train the «mouse jump». However, they only do this if the space on the side of the nest allows it.
From day 44 on, they make their first flights of about 2m.
At the age of 2 months the young can fly well. Once the parents are sure that the young can survive without their help, they are chased away from their territory.
Migratory movement
Young barn owls seek their own territory. They usually find their new home within a radius of 50 km. But barn owls born in Germany have also been documented as far as Spain.
How many years can the barn owl live?
In the wild
- They usually do not live more than 4 years.
- Only 32% of owls survive the first year.
- An 18-year-old barn owl has been documented in Scotland.
In captivity
Predators in captivity can usually live twice as long as in the wild.
Some say that owls in captivity can live up to 26 years. But our experience shows that when they reach 12 years of age, they already have serious health problems that do not allow them to live much longer.
Barn owl predators
Mammals
- Mustelids
- Cats
- Genets
Birds
- Eagle owl
- Tawny Owl
- Goshawk
- Golden Eagle
Parasites
- The barn owl is very sensitive to internal and external parasites.
Meet the barn owl and help in its protection.
Without it, the towns and fields would be filled with mice.
