Are they endangered?
No, they are not endangered. (IUCN Redlist: Least Concern)
What are their
past/present problems?
Man endangers the Barn Owl by building houses on farm fields and
open areas. Farmers put chemicals on the land to kill weeds and
rodents (MICE!) that destroy
their crops. Also, when farms get
sold for people to build homes on them, barns and other farm
buildings that Barn Owls live in are destroyed. Lots of times
the birds chase a onto a road and then get run over by
cars.
What do they look
like?
These owls have a heart-shaped face and long legs. Their face
and bellies are white and their backs are light, reddish-brown.
How big are they?
They are 14-20 inches long and if they spread their wings out
flat, they would be about 3 ˝ feet wide.
How many eggs do they
lay?
Barn Owls lay from 2 to12 whitish eggs each time they lay eggs.
They might lay eggs from one to three times a year. This is
different from raptors that usually lay only once a year. The
eggs hatch in about a month.
How long do the
fledglings stay in the nest?
These birds pretty much nest anywhere: in tree holes,
buildings, nest boxes, mines, caves or barns. The nests are
usually made of things they find laying around. Young birds
(fledglings) stay in the nest for about two months.
What do they eat?
They eat small mammals like and small birds.
Where do they live?
They live all over the world. Some places are the United
States, Europe, Central America, and South America.
What kind of place do
they like to live in?
Barn Owls like open areas and fields.
Interesting facts:
Even when it’s totally dark, Barn Owls can still hear
and catch prey.
You can tell where a Barn Owl is nesting by the owl
pellets on the ground under it.
Slow computer?
Right click here, "Save
target as",
and download the video to your computer. [Sometimes you
have to click on the Media Player twice for it to start.
Works Cited:
Alderfer, Jonathan. Complete Birds of North America.
Washington, D.C.: National Geographic, 2006.
Alsop, Fred. Birds of North America. New York: DK
Publishing, 2001.
Berg, Christian. “Decline of barn owls prompts conservation
discussion: Once-common birds disappearing as their habitat
grows smaller.” The Morning Call. 02 May 2006.
Druzin, Heath. “Barn owls are dying at an alarming rate: Up to
2500 birds have died along the I-84, possibly a sign of an
environmental problem.” The Idaho Statesman. 22 July
2006.
