Tyto furcata
Fast Facts
- Barn owls have incredibly sensitive hearing. It’s so precise they can locate prey in complete darkness or under snow by sound alone.
- Barn owls have forward-facing eyes that are fixed in place, meaning they can’t move their eyes like humans can—so they turn their entire head to look around, with the ability to rotate it up to 270 degrees.
- Barn owls often swallow their prey whole and later regurgitate the indigestible parts (like bones and fur) as compact pellets.
- Barn owls do not hoot and instead make various screaming and hissing sounds.
Range
North and South America
Habitat
Open habitats like fields, grasslands, and marshes. Often nest in barns, silos, and other buildings
Size
Wingspan 39–49 inches and weight is around 14–25 ounces
Nutrition
Small mammals (especially voles, mice, and rats)