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Barn Owl

Tyto alba

Photo by EmilyMarino
Published on Project Noah
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38.4411, -102.763

Field Notes

Description:

These medium-sized owls have long, rounded wings and short tails, which combine with a buoyant, loping flight to give them a distinctive flight style. The legs are long and the head is smoothly rounded, without ear tufts.

Barn Owls are pale overall with dark eyes. They have a mix of buff and gray on the head, back, and upperwings, and are white on the face, body, and underwings. When seen at night they can appear all white.

Habitat:

Open field near ravine and outcropping of trees. Near ranch land.

Notes:

I thought my 200th spotting wouldn't be anything special at all but it just so happened to be that - special! I had the pleasure of releasing 9 Barn Owls back into the wild Friday night. Released from the Birds of Prey Foundation (www.birds-of-prey.org), the owls released were originally admitted to the foundation for a variety of reasons. (injuries, orphaned, etc.)

Despite a worldwide distribution, Barn Owls are declining in parts of their range due to habitat loss, this release gives these owls and their species a second chance here in CO.

You can also follow the Birds of Prey Foundation on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Birds-of-Prey-Foundation/170284741424?fr…

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (28)
EmilyMarino
Thank you Tom! It was great night and a wonderful experience!
Tom15
Great shots Emily! Glad to hear these 9 owls have a second chance.
EmilyMarino
Jellis, it is a sad and real problem. It's not just disorientation that causes them to strike vehicles but also roadkill. Our opportunistic raptors will swoop in to take advantage of an easy meal and get killed. Barns are so pretty, sad you are finding so many dead in your area! And thank you Joshua! We found an incredible release location that will easily be able to sustain these 9 owls, at least till they decide to move on that is!
Josh Asel
Wow! gorgeous night time shots. 9 at a time too, awesome. And congrats on your 200th!
Jellis
I'm sure it happens in other places but our Barn Owls it's not the loss of habitat, it's the night time drivers. The Owls get confused by the headlights and get struck by the vehicles. Along many roads in the bay area to Sacto I have seen many dead (mostly Barn) Owls.
Wild Things
Great work and images! Congrats on the 200!
EmilyMarino
That is very cool Maria! If I didn't live in a condo I would totally have a barn owl box on my house! Every year we have a boy scout troop build kestrel and barn owl boxes for our Foundation. It gives people an opportunity to buy them and utilize them in their area. I've always had an affinity for barn owls, I love their story, how they were hunted to the brink of extinction in some areas of the US because people thought they were demons or evil spirits. There is no other sound on the planet like the deafening sound of a barn owl hissing, so I can see why they thought these ghostly colored birds were so spooky!
Maria dB
Beautiful series! So great that these birds could be rehabilitated and released. One of our local Audubon Society members has a project going in which he is placing barn owl nesting boxes at different sites, including nature reserves and private properties, in an effort to bring back more of these birds to our area. And congratulations on your 200th spotting!
KarenL
Despite a worldwide distribution, barn owl populations are declining in many parts of their range due to habitat loss. They also suffer from predation by pet and feral cats, and from collisions with vehicles. This owl has been given a chance thanks to the important work of the Birds of Prey Foundation www.birds-of-prey.org https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152922552325603&set=a.10152575329380603.958289.10150120463815603&type=1 https://twitter.com/projectnoah/status/346732216723841025
ChristyHolland
Your pics turned out excellent, Em!! So glad you got to do that!!
EmilyMarino
Thank you for the kind words Neil Ross! They are so elusive! I have only ever seen them through the rehab center I work for!
Neil Ross
Wow, Emily, these are excellent photos. What a beautiful owl. I've never had an opportunity to get this close, or even to see one in flight. A great spotting, and cheers for the info too.
EmilyMarino
Thank you Smiths Zoo! It was very rewarding for all involved since several of the birds we had cared for for over a year! We couldn't have found a more perfect release sight!
Smith Zoo
Fantastic series and so happy that they are released back into the wild! Good job Emily and all involved!

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Birds of the World
Mission
Global Flight
Mission
Raptors of North America
Mission
Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation
Mission
Mission WILD
Photographed
PublishedJune 16, 2013

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