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70birds

That Nest in Birdhouses

70birds

That Nest in Birdhouses

70birds

That Nest in Birdhouses

Barn Owl

Order: Strigiformes
Family: Tytonidae
Genus: Tyto
Species: alba

La. strix  owl
La. strigis owl
La. forma form, shape, kind

La. -idae appearance, resemblance
Gr. tuto owl
La. albus white

Painting of a barn owl perched on a branch.

Eighteen inches long, up to four foot wing span. Upper parts a mixture of amber and mottled gray finely speckled with black and white. Heart-shaped facial disks; white underparts. White mottled with black, sometimes barred tail. Small black eyes. Long wings and long feathered legs.

Barn owls range from British Columbia and Ontario to Central America and in the East as far north as Massachusetts.

Barn owls inhabit southern portions of North America from British Columbia and Ontario to Mexico. In the East as far north as Massachusetts. They are far more widespread than the reported sightings from which the survey maps were made. Barn owls are found through out most of the world in temperate and tropical regions. They and their cousins vary slightly in appearance.

Considered unlucky in the folklore and superstitions of many cultures and abhorred by the Romans. The barn owl represented the letter “M” in Egyptian hieroglyphs and their mummified remains have been discovered.

They conceal themselves so well during the day and so silent at night, neighbors may be totally unaware of their presence. A pair of barn owls lived for years on one of the Smithsonian Institution towers.

When they are disturbed in their nest they click their bills and hiss. Occasionally a startling scream and quivering cry.

Painting of a barn owl with its rodent prey perched on an interior barn beam.

Barn owls eat mice, rats and other mammals, insects, frogs, some birds, rarely poultry. One pair of barn owls and their offspring may catch and consume as many as 3,000 rats per year from agricultural fields.

They accumulate loosely piled bones in tree hollows, deserted buildings and barns, boat wrecks on the coast, church towers, holes in banks, even holes in the open prairies. Sometimes barn owls claim old crow nests. They readily accept large appropriately placed owl boxes and in return provide exceptional rodent control.

Females lay five to eleven white eggs often found at varying stages of incubation. Eggs incubate for about a month and young leave the nest after about another two months.

In Florida, farmers mount barn owl nest boxes as rats cause nearly $30 million damage every year to sugar cane crops.

There are many innovative and varied barn owl house designs which one can find through an internet search including some attractive ornamental designs attached to barns and other buildings.

They are all large with large openings and many have “porches” where adults can alight when returning with prey and make perfect stages for family photos.

Egyptian relief of a barn owl, 1,300 BC.

Egyptian Relief, 1,300 BC

Barn owl houses should be mounted at least 12′ high in or on the sides of a barns or towers and on trees or posts. Installations at significant heights should be installed and maintained by professionals, carpenters, electricians, power line workers, etc.

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Barn Owl

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Order: Strigiformes
Family: Tytonidae
Genus: Tyto
Species: alba

La. strix  owl
La. strigis owl
lLa. forma form, shape, kind
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
Gr. tuto owl
La. albus white

Painting of a barn owl perched on a branch.
Painting of a barn owl perched on a branch.

Order: Strigiformes
Family: Tytonidae
Genus: Tyto
Species: alba

La. strix  owl
La. strigis owl
lLa. forma form, shape, kind
La. -idae appearance, resemblance
Gr. tuto owl
La. albus white

Eighteen inches long, up to four foot wing span. Upper parts a mixture of amber and mottled gray finely speckled with black and white. Heart-shaped facial disks; white underparts. White mottled with black, sometimes barred tail. Small black eyes. Long wings and long feathered legs.

Eighteen inches long, up to four foot wing span. Upper parts a mixture of amber and mottled gray finely speckled with black and white. Heart-shaped facial disks; white underparts. White mottled with black, sometimes barred tail. Small black eyes. Long wings and long feathered legs.

Barn owls range from British Columbia and Ontario to Central America and in the East as far north as Massachusetts.

Barn owls inhabit southern portions of North America from British Columbia and Ontario to Mexico. In the East as far north as Massachusetts. They are far more widespread than the reported sightings from which the survey maps were made. Barn owls are found through out most of the world in temperate and tropical regions. They and their cousins vary slightly in appearance.

Barn owls inhabit southern portions of North America from British Columbia and Ontario to Mexico. In the East as far north as Massachusetts. They are far more widespread than the reported sightings from which the survey maps were made. Barn owls are found through out most of the world in temperate and tropical regions. They and their cousins vary slightly in appearance.

Considered unlucky in the folklore and superstitions of many cultures and abhorred by the Romans. The barn owl represented the letter “M” in Egyptian hieroglyphs and their mummified remains have been discovered.

They conceal themselves so well during the day and so silent at night, neighbors may be totally unaware of their presence. A pair of barn owls lived for years on one of the Smithsonian Institution towers.

When they are disturbed in their nest they click their bills and hiss. Occasionally a startling scream and quivering cry.

Painting of a barn owl with its rodent prey perched on an interior barn beam.

Considered unlucky in the folklore and superstitions of many cultures and abhorred by the Romans. The barn owl represented the letter “M” in Egyptian hieroglyphs and their mummified remains have been discovered.

They conceal themselves so well during the day and so silent at night, neighbors may be totally unaware of their presence. A pair of barn owls lived for years on one of the Smithsonian Institution towers.

Painting of a barn owl with its rodent prey perched on an interior barn beam.

When they are disturbed in their nest they click their bills and hiss. Occasionally a startling scream and quivering cry.

Barn owls eat mice, rats and other mammals, insects, frogs, some birds, rarely poultry. One pair of barn owls and their offspring may catch and consume as many as 3,000 rats per year from agricultural fields.

They accumulate loosely piled bones in tree hollows, deserted buildings and barns, boat wrecks on the coast, church towers, holes in banks, even holes in the open prairies. Sometimes barn owls claim old crow nests. They readily accept large appropriately placed owl boxes and in return provide exceptional rodent control.

Females lay five to eleven white eggs often found at varying stages of incubation. Eggs incubate for about a month and young leave the nest after about another two months.

In Florida, farmers mount barn owl nest boxes as rats cause nearly $30 million damage every year to sugar cane crops.

Barn owls eat mice, rats and other mammals, insects, frogs, some birds, rarely poultry. One pair of barn owls and their offspring may catch and consume as many as 3,000 rats per year from agricultural fields.

They accumulate loosely piled bones in tree hollows, deserted buildings and barns, boat wrecks on the coast, church towers, holes in banks, even holes in the open prairies. Sometimes barn owls claim old crow nests. They readily accept large appropriately placed owl boxes and in return provide exceptional rodent control.

Females lay five to eleven white eggs often found at varying stages of incubation. Eggs incubate for about a month and young leave the nest after about another two months.

Egyptian relief of a barn owl, 1,300 BC.

Egyptian Relief, 1,300 BC.

In Florida, farmers mount barn owl nest boxes as rats cause nearly $30 million damage every year to sugar cane crops.

There are many innovative and varied barn owl house designs which one can find through an internet search including some attractive ornamental designs attached to barns and other buildings.

Egyptian relief of a barn owl, 1,300 BC.

Egyptian Relief, 1,300 BC.

There are many innovative and varied barn owl house designs which one can find through an internet search including some attractive ornamental designs attached to barns and other buildings.

They are all large with large openings and many have “porches” where adults can alight when returning with prey and make perfect stages for family photos.

Barn owl houses should be mounted at least 12′ high in or on the sides of a barns or towers and on trees or posts. Installations at significant heights should be installed and maintained by professionals, carpenters, electricians, power line workers, etc.

They are all large with large openings and many have “porches” where adults can alight when returning with prey and make perfect stages for family photos.

Barn owl houses should be mounted at least 12′ high in or on the sides of a barns or towers and on trees or posts. Installations at significant heights should be installed and maintained by professionals, carpenters, electricians, power line workers, etc.

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