Barn Owl Tyto alba

Scientific Name: Tyto alba (Tytonidae).


English Name: Barn Owl (Barn-owl family).


French Name: Chouette effraie (='Scary Owl '); Effraie des clochers (='Belfry Scarer').

Photo courtesy of Aigronne Valley Wildlife.

5 Key Characters:

• medium sized owl.
• rounded long wings.
• very distinctive head.
• light brown above, speckled with black and white spots.
• greyish white underneath.
  

Lookalikes: Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus, which is much rarer.


Habitat: Open areas, farmland,  lightly wooded, dotted with bushes or traversed by hedges, old buildings, barns, stables, ruins, belfries.


Status: Protected. Common. A pan global species. Newly independent juveniles are at risk of dying of starvation or collisions with fences, vehicles or buildings. Even if they survive into adulthood they rarely live longer than two years.


Photographed by Loire Valley Nature:

A dead Barn Owl is inspected by a member of Sauve Qui Plume, a wildlife rescue organisation.

 

A dead Barn Owl is inspected by a member of Sauve Qui Plume, a wildlife rescue organisation.

The foot of an injured owl. The injury was caused by twine wrapped tightly round the leg.

The pinioned wing of an injured owl. Pinioning (chopping the tip of the wing off at the joint) prevents the bird from flying. It is illegal to pinion a Barn Owl. This bird was found alive on the side of the road, but subsequently died after rescue, very underweight.