BARN OWL

PHOTOS

Both the male and female Barn Owl have a speckled, reddish-brown body and white, heart-shaped face. While the male's chest is predominantly white, the female's chest is darker and heavily spotted. The species can approach 18 inches in height, with females being slightly larger than males.

The Barn Owl prefers small rodents, but it will occasionally hunt birds as well. A nocturnal species, it hunts at night by using its sharp eyesight and extremely sensitive hearing to locate prey. The Barn Owl's name comes from its habit of nesting in abandoned buildings and in barns. The owl also nests in tree hollows, where the female will lay 4-7 eggs. The male brings food to the nest as the female incubates the eggs and cares for chicks.

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