BARN OWL (Tyto alba)
(Home)
The barn owl is one of six owls found in Britain, the others being the tawny, the short-eared, the long-eared, the introduced little owl and the snowy owl (an occasional visitor to Orkney and Shetland). The barn owl is much rarer than formerly, largely because of loss of suitable nest sites and hunting terrain. Its favourite prey are mice and voles, which inhabit rough grassland, but it also devours insects and frogs. This owl is the one which is most closely associated with man, as it often nests in old farm buildings and ruins, as well as in church towers and hollow trees. The white eggs, usually 4 to 7 in number, are laid without nesting materials. They hatch after some four weeks, and the young fledge after about two and a half months.
Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tower
The moping Owl doth to the moon complain
Of such, as wandering near her sacred bower,
Molest her ancient solitary reign.*
It is strange to think that this beautiful bird was persecuted in former days, when it was the target of superstitious practices such as nailing its corpse to barn doors to ward off storms. Its ghostly appearance as it glides silently to and fro in search of prey, and its screeching call and a collection of other weird noises such as hissing and snoring, lend it an other-worldly reputation. It is often seen at dusk, when it can appear completely white if caught in car headlights. In fact, though its face and under parts are white, its back is an orange-buff colour and beautifully mottled with black and white. The soft wing-feathers enable it to fly without a sound – it locates its victims mainly by its acute hearing. This plumage however has its disadvantages as it provides little protection against the rain; barn owls are reluctant to fly in rainy weather, and a prolonged wet spell may mean that the owlets will starve.
Efforts are now being made to help the recovery of the barn owl population by providing it with owl nest boxes and making sure there are nearby areas of rough grassland for hunting.
Note that the owl in the photographs carries a ring.
*from Gray’s “Elegy written in a Country Church-Yard”
Photos: John Sheppard. Text: George Metcalfe.
See Bird Archive for other birds in this series.