Birds of Prey
RaptorsAustralian Boobook Owl Australian Hobby Barn Owl Black-breasted Buzzard Black Falcon Black Kite Black-shouldered Kite Brown Falcon Brown Goshawk Nankeen Kestrel Peregrine Falcon Spotted Harrier Wedge-tailed Eagle Whistling Kite
The Barn Owl (Tyto alba) is one of the most widely distributed species of owls in the world. These are mainly nocturnal birds, whose acute hearing helps it when hunting for its ground prey.
Its hearing is aided by the distinctive white, heart-shaped facial disc that is characteristic of the Barn Owl, assisting the owl in locating its prey by sound as well as sight. The shape concentrating the sound to the owl’s hearing. Their hearing is so acute they can capture a small mammal prey such as a mouse in total darkness.
The Barn Owl is also known as the Common Barn Owl, that distinguishes it from the other species in its family Tytonidae, which forms one of the two main lineages of living owls, the other being the Typical Owl (also known as the True Owl) family Strigidae.
The Barn Owl is a sight to see, catching a glimpse of it at night in your car light as it silently flies overhead, or in the glow of a full moon.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Subphylum: Vertebrata
- Informal: Gnathostomata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Strigiformes
- Family: Tytonidae
- Genus: Tyto
- Species: Tyto alba
Footnote & References
- Barn owl, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barn_owl (last visited May 29, 2022)
- Barn Owl, Tyto alba, Australian Museum, https://australian.museum/learn/animals/birds/barn-owl/
- Barn Owl, Tyto alba, Birdlife Australia, https://www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/barn-owl
RaptorsAustralian Boobook Owl Australian Hobby Barn Owl Black-breasted Buzzard Black Falcon Black Kite Black-shouldered Kite Brown Falcon Brown Goshawk Nankeen Kestrel Peregrine Falcon Spotted Harrier Wedge-tailed Eagle Whistling Kite