Ghostly pale and strictly nocturnal, Barn Owls are silent predators of the night world. Lanky, with a whitish face, chest, and belly, and buffy upperparts, this owl roosts in hidden, quiet places during the day. By night, they hunt on buoyant wingbeats in open fields and meadows. You can find them by listening for their eerie, raspy calls, quite unlike the hoots of other owls. Despite a worldwide distribution, Barn Owls are declining in parts of their range due to habitat loss.
Most birds cannot chew their food and owls are no exception. Owls and other raptors usually swallow their prey whole. They do not have a crop, the bag like organ used to store food after it has been swallowed so that it can be digested later.The bones, skulls, claws, fur and feathers and other parts of prey which cannot be digested are formed into a pellet which is regurgitated and dropped beneath their roost sites. Barn Owl pellets are compact and do not break apart upon impact with limbs or the ground. They make a good study of the owl’s prey types by opening them and inspecting the bones and the bird had eaten before the pellet was formed.
"This Owl was photographed on May 11, 2015 by Clancey Deel"
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| regurgitated pellets |
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| vole skull |
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| mouse skull |
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