Owls of Ohio - Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Barn owlTyto alba (Tie-toe [a night owl] al-bah [white])TRACKS2-6This species has the broadest distribution of any owl,ranging nearly worldwide. In addition to being foundacross North America as far north as southern Canada,they occur in Africa and Eurasia – even Australia. Noowl is more intimately associated with people, and thecommon name is apropos, as this species often nestsin barns or other man-made structures. Adaptabilityto human civilization coupled with an incredibleability to locate and capture small mammals underthe darkest conditions have allowed the barn owl tocolonize such a broad range. However, they havedeclined precipitously in parts of northern NorthAmerica in recent decades.D e s cripti o n barn owlLength = 16 inchesWingspan = 3.5 feetWeight = 1 lb.Sometimes called the “monkey-faced owl,” withgood cause. Barn owls have a white, heart-shaped facethat is monkey-like, and their head appears quite largein relation to the body. They lack ear tufts. This is oneof Ohio’s two owl species with dark eyes, the barred owlbeing the other. They are very white below, and a tawnybrown above. In flight, barn owls seen from below appearvery pale ghostly white. When perched, their long legs arevery evident. With a good look they are unmistakable.Photo by: ODNR Division of Wildlife / Tim Daniel