Latin Name

Tyto alba

Family

Tytonidae

LIFE SPAN

Wild: The average life expectancy of a barn owl in Britain is approximately 18 months because so many young birds die during their first year. For barn owls that survive their first year, the average life expectancy is around four years. Exceptionally, the oldest recorded barn owl in Britain reached 18 years old, while the European longevity record is 30 years.

Captivity: Barn owls can have a life expectancy of approximately 20 years when provided with suitable accommodation, nutrition and veterinary care.

Body size

Barn owls are medium-sized owls with slender bodies, long legs and broad, rounded wings. Females are generally larger and heavier than males.

Weight: Males approximately 270–360g (9.5–12.7 oz); females approximately 295–435g (10.4–15.3 oz).
Height/body length: 33–39cm (13–15.4 in).
Wingspan: 80–95cm (31.5–37.4 in).

British ringing data gives an average adult weight of approximately 312g for males and 354g for females.

Native habitat

Under modern classifications, Tyto alba, also known as the western barn owl, is native primarily to Europe, Africa and southwestern Asia.

The subspecies found across much of the UK, Tyto alba alba, is native to western and southern Europe and North Africa. Its range extends from Scotland to Morocco and from Portugal to Greece.

Barn owls favour open countryside where they can hunt close to the ground. Their preferred habitats include rough grassland, farmland, field margins, marshes, riverbanks and woodland edges. Permanent rough grassland is particularly valuable because its deep layer of vegetation supports large populations of voles, shrews and mice.

They roost and nest in quiet, sheltered cavities, including hollow trees, barns, church towers, agricultural buildings, ruins, cliff cavities and specially designed nest boxes.

Diet

Barn owls are carnivorous and feed predominantly on small mammals. In Britain, their most important prey species are field voles, common shrews and wood mice. Together, these three species account for approximately 80% of the British barn owl’s diet.

A typical British barn owl diet consists of approximately:

Field voles: 45%
Common shrews: 20%
Wood mice: 15%

They may also take house mice, bank voles, pygmy shrews, young rats and, less frequently, small birds, frogs and large insects.

Barn owls usually hunt at night by flying slowly and silently over open ground. Their heart-shaped facial disc directs sound towards their asymmetrically positioned ears, allowing them to locate prey in long grass or almost complete darkness. Prey is generally swallowed whole, with indigestible fur and bones later regurgitated as compact pellets.

Get to know Dusk

He will fly on demonstration if he absolutely has to but would prefer to monitor people from his lofty perch.

Fun Fact!

Dusk is Dizzy’s brother and is sort of like the evil twin. He screams a lot because he seems to think that every human is his girlfriend.

Dusk, Barn Owl