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Kielder Water Bird of Prey Centre |
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Barn Owl(Tyto alba)
For more information about birds and wildlife in England, please visit |
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| Origin: | Much of Europe including southern Britain, North and South America, Southern Asia and Australia. | |||
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| Habitat: | Farmland and open countryside, nesting in old barns and sheds. | |||
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| Nesting: | 4 to 6 white eggs laid on a heap of pellets of indigestible fur, feathers and bones - April to early May. The eggs hatch after about 30 days. Often two broods are produced in a year. | |||
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| Facts:
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Barn owls are one of the world's most widespread birds but their
population is rapidly declining in the wild possibly due to barns and old buildings being
converted into modern houses. There are now probably only 2000 pairs left in the wild in
Britain.
The male has a pure white chest. The female has small specks of white on hers. Although Barn owls look quite big in flight, males only weigh on average, 255-283 gms and females 300-350 gms. They have a silent flight helped by the primary wing feathers at the front of the wing. Some people believe that owls and birds of prey can be kept as pets. Our centre at Kielder has had Barn Owls brought in from the RSPCA some
of which had been kept in bird cages! No owls or birds of prey are pets
and Barn Owls are not even a beginners bird as their weights are very crucial.
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| Kielder Water Bird of Prey Centre, Leaplish Waterside Park, Northumberland, England. Telephone: +44 (0)1434-250400 Web Site designed and created by Discover IT (UK) Ltd |
Barn owls are a golden buff colour with a
white heart-shaped face and a small beak. They rely on their hearing to hunt at night
using these distinctive facial discs to take in sounds all around the bird. The owl
processes these sounds through its ears. 
