Barn owl: photo of an owl. Lesser black barn owl Black barn owl

• Order: Striges, or Strigiformes = Owls, owls
• Family: Tytonidae = Barn owls

Species: Tyto tenebricosa = Black or Ashy Barn Owl

The Sooty Owl is an elusive and little-studied bird native to the southern Australian rainforest. She has the largest eyes among barn owls. Its habitat: coastal and mountainous areas of south-eastern Australia from Dandenong (Melbourne area) to Conandale (north of Brisbane). They have been reported to be found on Wreck Island in Bass Strait, and have also been found at Montaigne in the New Guinea rainforest.

The black owl is a medium-sized bird. The plumage is ash-black in color, and on the facial disc there are very big eyes, outlined in black circles. Against the background of the ash-black plumage, there are small white spots on the head and large, but sparser white spots on the wings. The front disc is painted gray or silver and is framed by a black border. The plumage varies from ash-black to dark gray or slightly whitish. The plumage on the belly is always lighter than on the chest. The tail is very short. The owl's bill is a different color than its facial disc. Dark gray paws with large black claws. There is no sexual dimorphism; birds of both sexes are colored the same. However, the female is usually slightly larger than the males. Its length is 44-51 cm, weight 750-1000 g, while the male has a length of 37-43 cm and weight 500-700 g.

The black owl differs from the lesser gray owl in its darker plumage and larger size; the white spots located on top are also sparser. And where the Lesser Ashy Owl has dark spots on a light background, the Ashy Owl has simply light spots.

The owl's call is a distinctive, penetrating, low call that lasts about two seconds. This sound is similar to the sound of a falling bomb, only without the final explosion, which is why this cry is called “bomb whistle.” There are many other calls, the reproduction of which is associated with reproduction and mating season.

Ashy owls live in the deepest ravines. They are little studied precisely because they are active mainly at night - they are the most nocturnal of all Australian owls. Their very large eyes provide them with excellent vision. Ashy owls are strong and dexterous hunters, so quite often their prey becomes quite major representatives forest fauna, which owls track while sitting on a tree. This distinguishes them not only from the lesser owl, but also from other members of the Barn Owl family, which track prey in flight above the ground.

Possums make up the majority of the owl's prey, but it has been recorded preying on other mammals. There are no detailed descriptions of the hunting methods of these owls. What is known is that the male hunts only in the dead of night and in mating season, and during the period of incubation and feeding of chicks, and brings prey to the nest once.

Seasonality in reproduction is not expressed. Breeding of the Ashy Owl can occur regardless of the time of year, although eggs are mainly laid between January and June, but there are cases of nesting observed in the spring, from August to September. During this period, males become very noisy, often emitting a “bomb whistle” call. A pair of owls make a nest in a large hollow of an old but living tree, and then line and insulate it with soft bedding. The nest can be located on a tree at any height from 10 to 50 meters. There are several known cases of gray owl nesting in caves, which is apparently due to the lack of suitable hollow trees. Females occupy the hollow several weeks before laying eggs, and leave it only at night for a very short time. If the nest is located in a cave, then the female does not leave it at all.

Female owls usually lay 1-2 round white eggs, 44-52 mm long and 36-41 mm wide. Hatching lasts about 42 days. The male feeds the female directly in the nest. The chicks are first covered with gray down and fledge at about 3 months. The chick of a newly fledged owl depends on its parents for some time, and then leaves the nest forever.

The ash owl's habitat is deep, damp ravines in eucalyptus forests, usually with large, old, smooth-bodied trees covered with ferns. Snowy owls are sedentary birds; they adhere to their own territorial boundaries. But they can hunt in dry forests, but high humidity they need it during the hatching period and for shelters.

The barn owl is a rather unusual animal among its kind. In addition, this owl is one of the most ancient species of owls.

According to scientific classification, the barn owl species comes from the barn owl family and the barn owl genus. Thanks to her external features and lifestyle, this owl is also called the night owl, ghost owl. The main features that distinguish the barn owl from its relatives are the shape of the head and the unusual voice, characteristic only of this species, which became the reason for another nickname - the screech owl. Thus, it can be assumed that in ancient times this owl was attributed with certain magical properties and mystical character, also due to her unusual expressive eyes. The beauty of this bird is undeniable, so it is not surprising that many - both amateurs and professionals - simply dream of capturing a beautiful owl in a photo.

Appearance

The barn owl differs from other owls in the shape of its facial disc, which resembles a heart and a white mask at the same time. Due to the special expression of this mask, the barn owl is also called the “monkey-faced owl.”

The feather color is mainly white interspersed with reddish shades. The thickness of the plumage allows these owls to live in cold areas. The owl's body size is about 40 centimeters, its wingspan is almost a meter. The weight of a barn owl ranges from 200 to 700 grams.

The upper part of the owl's body is darker, there is much more of a reddish tint, while the lower part is predominantly white or yellowish. The facial disc is white and noticeably flattened in shape. The owl’s “face” is surrounded by a circle of ocher-colored feathers. The wings are predominantly white, but can also be decorated with a dark streaky pattern. The barn owl's eyes are quite large, bright and very expressive. The iris is mostly black or dark in color. The barn owl's body is elongated and slender with long paws covered with thick feathers. Her tail is very short. The beak is yellow-white. In general, we can say that the color of the lower part of the body depends mainly on its habitat. Externally, females differ little from males, but the former are slightly darker. Chicks are also almost no different from adults, with the exception of a more variegated color. Thus, the common barn owl has a rather bright, memorable appearance, as can be seen by looking at the photo of the barn owl.

Area

The barn owl is distributed on almost all continents. The only place on the planet where you cannot see it is Antarctica. For our country, the barn owl is a great rarity, and this owl can only be found in the Kaliningrad region. IN neighboring countries and in the Baltics, the barn owl is also a rather rare specimen. It does not live in the mountains, or in the northern regions. The bird also does not tolerate extreme heat, and therefore cannot live in deserts. Thanks to humans, the owl has gained artificial distribution on the islands of New Zealand, the Seychelles and Hawaii. Barn owls prefer to make their home in open spaces, swamps and grassy areas.

Reproduction

Basically, barn owls have one pair during their lives, rarely several. Eggs are laid once or twice a year. The male chooses the place to build the nest. The nest is not built separately, but the most suitable hole in the tree or other dark place is selected. During the period while the female is hatching her offspring, the male takes care of her food. This lasts approximately one month. Typically, the number of hatched eggs is from 4 to 7 units. Young owls begin independent life two months after birth.

What is the life expectancy?

In the wild, barn owls can live a maximum of 18 years, while the average is extremely short - only two years.

Tyto multipunctata (Mathews, )

Tyto multipunctata - a bird of the barn owl family that lives in Australia.

Area

Tyto multipunctata inhabits dense tropical forests on the plains of North-Eastern Australia: north-east Queensland (Cooktown - Townsville line, surroundings of Lake Icham). Some researchers include this species in Tyto tenebricosa(black barn owl).

Appearance

Tyto multipunctata in size it is noticeably inferior to the black barn owl, which lives in the forests of northern Queensland. Endemic to wet tropical forests this area of ​​Australia. Both types of barn owls are often called silver barn owls, referring to the silvery-white color of the bird's underparts. The barn owl is lighter in color on the upper part of the body; it is often grayish-brown with a large number light streaks of a silvery-white hue on the head and wings; There are also black birds, but they are also very colorful. The facial disc is large - silvery-white around the eyes. Around the disc there is a bright border of short dark feathers. The underparts are silvery-white with many dark spots, which are especially numerous on the chest, making the chest appear dark gray. The tail is very short. The eyes are large, the iris is black. The beak is light gray, the legs are light gray, the fingers are adapted for capturing prey: two are directed forward, two are directed back, the claws are black. Slight sexual dimorphism in size: the female is slightly larger (male 33 cm, female 37 cm). On average, the body length of small black barn owls ranges from 31-38 cm.

Lifestyle

Barn owls lead a secretive lifestyle, but their location can be determined by their cry, which eyewitnesses define as a “bomb whistle”. This is a loud trill-whistle, turning into a loud scream, heard at a great distance. When threatening, a barn owl clicks its tongue, making clicking sounds to unnerve its opponent.

Tyto multipunctata- hollow nester. For nesting, he chooses large hollows of a living tree, sometimes in the fork of large branches, preferring trees called Rose Gum. In other cases, it occupies natural depressions between tree roots and in natural niches along bank slopes. The male and female adhere to each other for a long time, but outside the nesting season they live alone and daytime carried out in different places. The female lays two eggs and incubates them for 42 days. The male brings prey to the female into the nest several times a night. The number of breeding pairs in the rainforests of north Queensland is estimated at 2000 pairs. Barn owls inhabit the area from the mountains south of Cooktown to the north of this area. For them, an area of ​​50 hectares is optimal.

Hunting

When hunting, barn owls are able to overcome dense thickets tropical forest at night, identifying the location of its prey and attacking it. They feed on land animals: rats, other rodents, bandicoots, lizards, frogs and others small mammals. They sometimes hunt arboreal animals, birds and gliders. Because barn owls are at the beginning the food chain, the size of their livestock depends on the food supply. Another deterrent is anxiety from a person. These are territorial birds that do not stray far from their possessions.

Lesser black barn owl

Lesser Black Barn Owl

The Lesser Black Barn Owl - Tyto multipunctata - inhabits dense tropical forests on the plains of North-Eastern Australia: north-east Queensland (Cooktown - Townsville line, environs of Lake Itham). Some researchers include this species in Tyto tenebricosa.

The Lesser Black Barn Owl is noticeably smaller in size than the Southern Black Barn Owl, which lives in the forests of northern Queensland. Endemic to the tropical rainforests of this region of Australia. Both types of barn owls are often called silver barn owls, referring to the silvery-white color of the bird's underparts. The barn owl is lighter in color on the upper part of the body; it is often grayish-brown with a large number of light streaks of a silvery-white hue on the head and wings; There are also black birds, but also very colorful ones. The facial disc is large - silvery-white around the eyes. There is a bright border of short dark feathers around the disc. The underparts are silvery-white with many dark spots, which are especially numerous on the chest, making the chest appear dark gray. The tail is very short. The eyes are large, the iris is black. The beak is light gray, the legs are light gray, the fingers are adapted for capturing prey: two are directed forward, two are directed back, the claws are black. Slight sexual dimorphism in size, the female is slightly larger (male 33 cm, female 37 cm). On average, the body length of barn owls ranges from 31-38 cm.

Barn owls lead a secretive lifestyle, but their location can be determined by their cry, which eyewitnesses define as a “whistle of a bomb.” This is a loud trill-whistle, turning into a loud scream, heard at a great distance. When threatening, a barn owl clicks its tongue, making clicking sounds to unnerve its opponent.

The black barn owl is a cavity nester. For nesting, it chooses large hollows of a living tree, sometimes in the fork of large branches, preferring trees called Rose Gum. In other cases, it occupies natural depressions between tree roots and in natural niches along bank slopes. The male and female adhere to each other for a long time, but outside the nesting season they live alone and spend daytime in different places. The female lays two eggs and incubates them for 42 days. The male brings prey to the female into the nest several times a night. The number of breeding pairs in the rainforests of north Queensland is estimated at 2000 pairs. Barn owls inhabit the area from the mountains south of Cooktown to the north of this area. For them, an area of ​​50 hectares is optimal.

When hunting, barn owls are able to travel through dense rainforest thickets at night, locating and attacking their prey. They feed on land animals: rats, other rodents, bandicoots, lizards, frogs and other small mammals. They sometimes hunt arboreal animals, birds and gliders. Since barn owls are at the beginning of the food chain, the size of their population depends on the food supply. Another deterrent is anxiety from the person. These are territorial birds that do not stray far from their possessions.

The life expectancy of barn owls is long, the reproduction rate is low, so the population size is never excessive. The breeding season is from January to August. Despite the narrow habitat, the population of this species is considered normal and has remained stable for many years. In this it differs from the black owl, whose numbers, although recognized as common, are currently steadily declining as a result of deforestation.

Barn owls, like most nocturnal birds, have good night vision, but when hunting, they rely more on their sensitive hearing, which, as experimentally established, is four times greater than the hearing capabilities of other animals. This allows them to hunt in complete darkness. This unique ability is achieved special structure ears, in which both ears are located asymmetrically on different levels. Thereby sound signal reaches the right and left ears with some difference in time, this allows the owl to determine the location of a potential victim with greater accuracy. In addition, the ear opening, located higher, is directed downwards and is more sensitive to sounds that come from below. Short feathers framing the facial disc direct sounds to the ears. Having fluffed these feathers, the barn owl directs them in such a way that the sound comes directly to the ear openings.

During a hunt, a barn owl attacks its prey, wrapping its claws around it in such a way that the claws grab the victim from four sides. Owls swallow their prey whole with feathers, fur and claws, and then once or twice a day they regurgitate the undigested remains in the form of dense balls - pellets.

The use of pesticides causes a lot of harm to barn owls. agriculture, they are most vulnerable to DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane). Road traffic causes great damage to the barn owl population, as owls tend to hunt along roadsides. Lots of averages and large birds, including barn owls, die on power lines.

Since 1971, the little black owl, like other Australian birds of prey, has been protected by law. Trade in barn owls is only permitted as part of an exchange between zoos.

Based on materials from the sites http://www.fortunecity.com/ and http://www. birdwatching - australia. com/.

Barn owl bird It belongs directly to the barn owl family and is a predator, although its size is quite small. The bird has many names, which were assigned to it in various legends and folk art, for example: screeching or ghostly owl, night owl, “bird with a monkey face” and others.

And indeed, just look at photo of a barn owl in order to understand that in the image of this bird there is a certain similarity with a primate.

Features and habitat of the barn owl

Scientists ornithologists could not classify barn owls into any specific group, so they decided to “assign” their own separate category to them. Barn owl is the most common species, and is found today on virtually all continents except Antarctica.

Despite the fact that the barn owl is a predator, and the most nocturnal of all owls, its dimensions are very modest: body length ranges from twenty-five to fifty centimeters, and weight from two hundred to eight hundred grams.

Female barn owls are approximately ten percent larger than males. The plumage of birds is fluffy and soft. The upper body and head are usually dark gray or Brown, while the entire surface of the body is strewn with specks.

The belly, muzzle and chest are white, often with spots. The barn owl's body is slender, with black claws on its dark pink toes. The eyes of these birds are extremely expressive, with a beautiful iris of a bizarre color.

barn owl Today laziness has spread virtually over the entire surface globe with the exception of Antarctica and some cold climate regions and countries such as North America and Canada.

Since the body of barn owls is not predisposed to the accumulation of fat reserves, low temperature absolutely not suitable for these. On the territory of Russia you can meet barn owls only in the Kaliningrad region.

Mountain areas with great height above sea level and the arid deserts of Africa are also not suitable for barn owls. In the twentieth century, birds were artificially imported to the Canary, Hawaiian and Seychelles, so now many of its varieties live there.

Barn owls live in a huge variety natural conditions and geographical landscapes, but the bird prefers to settle on open plains with rare forested area and with an abundance of swamps and ponds nearby.

Ravines, wastelands and meadows are also favorite habitats for barn owls. They are often located near human habitation and farmland, since food and, in particular, small rodents can always be found here.

Barn owl or Australian barn owl distributed not only in Australia, but also in New South Wales, Tasmania and some other territories.

Pictured is a masked barn owl

Australian barn owls differ from other representatives of their species not only in their colorful appearance, but also in size: female masked barn owls are considered the largest of all other species.

Black barn owl- at the current time it is considered the least studied species, since its activity occurs in the dead of night and is hidden from human observation. It settles mainly among eucalyptus forests, forest edges and meadows of New Guinea and the eastern part of the Australian continent.

In the photo there is a black barn owl

Character and lifestyle of the barn owl bird

The barn owl received the nickname “ghost owl” for its ability to suddenly appear right in the face of an unsuspecting person, without making the slightest sound.

There is an opinion that the bird earned its Russian-language name “Barn Owl,” in turn, for its own slightly hoarse voice, which can frighten a random traveler lost in the forest.

In addition to the ability to move silently through the air, the barn owl has very developed vision and auditory receptors, which allow it to hunt in the middle of the night, perfectly oriented in pitch darkness.

During the day, the barn owl sits in a hollow, on the roof or in other reliable shelter. Barn owl - owl, preferring a solitary lifestyle, but in places where there is a great abundance of food, small groups and concentrations of birds can be observed.

The barn owl is often busy flying around its own territory, during which it changes altitude many times. Having noticed an unwanted guest, the owl begins to make threatening movements in order to intimidate the opponent.

Flapping its wings, the barn owl can attack the enemy both with the help of its strong paws and by using its beak, making a frightening click with it during the attack.

It is not uncommon for barn owls to build their nests in close proximity to humans: in the attics of residential buildings, in barns or outbuildings. In conditions wildlife this owl can easily take over someone else's nest or burrow.

Barn owl nutrition

Barn owl – predatory bird, which hunts mainly in the dead of night. When going out to hunt, it flies quite low above the ground, looking out for its potential prey.

The main food in the barn owl's diet are various small rodents: hamsters, rats, voles, and many others.

The prey of these birds varies depending on the region where they live, and owls eat birds, even birds of prey, frogs, reptiles and some species of invertebrate animals.

Barn owl- Not the best option as a pet, because firstly, the body of owls is designed in such a way that they need to eat at least three live rodents a day, so if you decide buy a barn owl, then be sure to take this fact into account.

Secondly, the barn owl is a bird that leads night look life, so as a pet it is only suitable for people who sleep during the day and are awake at night.

Barn owl reproduction and lifespan

The bird breeding season continues throughout the first two months of spring. The location for the future nest is determined by the male, and it must be carefully hidden from human eyes and any ill-wishers and enemies.

Barn owl chicks in the photo

Birds usually make their nests at a respectful height from the ground. In one clutch, the female brings from four to seven eggs, from which the first chicks appear a month later. After a month and a half, the offspring grow stronger and leave the nest to live independently.

About three-quarters of all young offspring die in the first year of life, the rest survive until about eleven years of age. There are known cases when, in captivity, barn owls reached the venerable age of several decades.