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Barn Owl Tyto alba [Scopoli, 1769]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Strigiformes
Family:
Tytonidae
BTO Codes:
BO , BAROW
EURING No:
7350
Number in Britain:
4000 pairs (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
AMBER
European:
3 Concern, most not in Europe; Declining
Global:
Least Concern
View video clips from
IBC
Status in UK:
(A) Resident Breeder
Subspecies:
alba (R), guttata (V) recorded in Britain (of 32 subsp. in the world)
.
Length:
34 cm
Wingspan:
89 cm
Weight:
M/F: 300 g
Scientific name from:
Gr.: tuto =an owl
and L.: albus =white
World Distribution:
Europe, s Asia, Africa, Australasia, North & South America
Habitat:
Open country, savanna, farmland
Diet:
Small mammals (mice small voles, shrews), some small birds, will hunt before sunset
TitBit:
The unearthly shrieks, cries and hisses of the Barn Owl (and its association with churches) may have given rise to a widespread association of owls with all things evil - an owls' wing was a key ingredient in the witches brew that troubled Macbeth
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
Regional Trends:
No regional trends available
Distribution:
New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Summer:
3000 to 5000 pairs
in 1995-97
First Record:
13th Century
[Fossil evidence from
Devensian (last) glaciation, 10-120,000 yr ago]
Latest Survey:
Toms, M. et al. (2001) Bird Study 48:23-37
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
No habitat data from BBS
European Population Size:
Summer:
110 to 220 thousand pairs
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WCA(I,III,IX), Bern(III), CITES(I)
Survey Results:
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
39 x 32 mm
Egg Weight:
21.2 g (of which . % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
422
Clutch Size:
4 - 6 eggs
4.85 ± 1.48 (2 - 12) N = 463
Incubation:
32 days
32.00 ± 1.28 (30 - 34) N = 463
by the:
Female
Fledging:
53 - 61 days
56.24 ± 4.21 (49 - 63) N = 1861
as:
Altricial, downy
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Nest Record Scheme data
First Clutches Laid:
6 May (30 Mar - 4 Jul)
Number of Broods:
2
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed:
2437
Adult Survival:
0.631
Juvenile Survival:
No data
Age at First Breeding:
1
year
Typical Lifespan:
3
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
13yr9m
(The Netherlands: 17yr 11m)
Biometrics
Ring Size:
G
Wing Length
Adult:
292.2 ± 7.6
Range
280 - 304 mm, N =536
Juvenile:
289.0 ± 13.2
262 - 305 mm, N =78
Male:
292.3 ± 7.5
280 - 304 mm, N =195
Female:
292.2 ± 7.7
280 - 304 mm, N =323
Weight
Adult:
337.3 ± 43.62
Range
280.0 - 420.0 g , N =522
Juvenile:
313.3 ± 37.41
263.0 - 382.5 g , N =60
Male:
311.5 ± 27.28
270.0 - 360.0 g , N =195
Female:
354.3 ± 43.90 .
295.0 - 435.0 g , N =311
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Gaelic:
Comhachag-bhàn
Welsh:
Tylluan Wen
Danish:
Slørugle
Dutch:
Kerkuil
Finnish:
Tornipöllö
French:
Effraie des clochers
German:
Schleiereule
Hungarian:
Gyöngybagoly
Icelandic:
Turnugla
Irish:
Scréachóg Reilige
Italian:
Barbagianni
Norwegian:
Tårnugle
Polish:
Plomykówka zwyczajna
Portuguese:
Coruja-das-torres
Spanish:
Lechuza
Swedish:
Tornuggla
Local Names: Screech Owl, Billy Wix, Ginny Ollit
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Roulin, A. 2002 BWP Update 4:115-138
Bunn, D.S., Warburton, R.S. & Wilson, R.D.S. 1982 The barn owl Poyser, Calton
[598.711 BUN]
Shawyer, C. 1994 The barn owl Hamlyn, London
[598.711 SHA]
See Also:
All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
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