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Scientific
Name: Tyto alba
Size: 35 cms tall. Wingspan of 90
cms
Weight: 350 gms
IUCN Endangered Species?: Least
Concern
Estimated Wild Population: 10000
in Britain
Distribution: Worldwide
Description: The
barn owl is a very wide-ranging bird and has a near worldwide
distribution. In Britain,
it typically inhabits grassland and areas of hedgerow where its main
prey, mice and voles, can be found in abundance and so is often
associated with areas of farmland.
In a natural environment, it nests in holes in trees but has
increasingly become dependant upon farm buildings. Much of these areas
have been destroyed and the population of barn owls has been reduced
after their nest sites are lost. However,
numbers may actually be increasing now as areas gain protected status
and barn owls are adapting to find other nest and roost sites.
Many barn owls also die from drowning, either in ponds or cattle
troughs. The feathers
become waterlogged and the owl is unable to take off.
They also have a propensity to be hit by cars.
Prolonged, harsh weather can also be a significant problem.
Unlike many other owls, the barn owl cannot hoot.
Instead, it utters a shrill screech or hiss. Hunting is conducted
almost entirely by sound and it’s head feathers are specially designed
to help magnify the tiniest of sounds.
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