Barn owl is white. Barn owl

Owl of medium size without "ears"-tufts. Females are usually larger and heavier than males (weight difference up to 350 g), however, in one of the observed pairs, reverse sexual dimorphism was detected.

The main plumage of the bird is ash-black; on a rounded facial corolla, the color of which varies from light gray to graphite (gradually darkens from light edges to the middle), there are very large black eyes.

The lower part of the abdomen and thighs is dark, with small uneven black spots. The iris of the eye is a rich dark brown color, the beak is light cream. The legs are densely feathered down to the base of dark gray toes, which end in massive black-brown claws. The wings are short, rounded and uniform along the entire length; very short tail.

Chicks are covered with whitish or light gray down; juveniles look almost like adults, but with a darker facial disc.

Voice

The most famous call of the Barn Barn Owl is a prolonged downward whistle often compared to the sound of a flying bomb; besides this, birds chirp and crackle like insects.

Chicks, begging for food from the parent, emit loud, monotonous and persistent creaking.

Spreading

area

The barn owl can be found in New Guinea, Yapen Island and eastern Australia, excluding most state of Queensland. In Australia, this species is unusually rare or has already disappeared, but is still widespread in New Guinea.

habitats

Subspecies

On the this moment 2 subspecies are known.

Food

It is a universal predator that preys on any possible mammals of small and medium sizes. Possums, bats, large rats and occasionally small birds and reptiles can become prey. It catches the victim, diving from under the forest canopy to the ground.

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Notes

An excerpt characterizing the Barn owl

• Order: Striges, or Strigiformes = Owls, owl-shaped
• Family: Tytonidae = barn owls

Species: Tyto tenebricosa = Black or ash barn owl

The Black or Ash Barn Owl (The Sooty Owl), an elusive and little-studied bird found in the southern Australian rainforests. Among barn owls, she has the largest eyes. Its habitat is coastal and mountainous areas southeastern Australia from Dandenong (Melbourne area) to Conandale (north of Brisbane). There are reports of their meeting on Flinder Island in Bass Strait, and they are also found in Montene in the rainforests of New Guinea.

The black owl is a medium sized bird. The plumage has an ash-black color, and on the front disk there are very big eyes outlined in black circles. Against the background of ash-black plumage, there are small white spots on the head and large, but more rare white spots on the wings. The front disk is painted in gray or silvery colors, it is framed by a black border. In plumage there are transitions from ash-black to dark gray or slightly whitish colors. The plumage on the belly is always lighter than on the chest. The tail is very short. The beak of the ashy owl differs in color from the 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 gr, while the male has a length of 37-43 cm and a weight of 500-700 gr.

The black owl differs from the lesser ash owl in darker plumage and larger size, and white spots located on top are more rare. And where the little ashy owl has dark spots on a light background, the ashen owl has just light spots.

The voice of the ashen owl is a characteristic penetrating low cry, the duration of which is about two seconds. This sound is similar to the sound of a falling bomb, only without the final explosion, which is why such a cry is called “bomb whistle.” There are many other calls that are produced in connection with reproduction and mating season.

Ash 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 excellent vision. Ash owls are strong and agile hunters, so quite often they become their prey. major representatives fauna of the forests, which owls track down while sitting on a tree. In this they differ not only from the lesser ash owl, but also from other representatives of the barn owl family, which track prey in flight above the ground.

Opossums make up the majority of the ash owl's prey, but other mammals have also been recorded. There are no detailed descriptions of the hunting methods of these owls. It is only known 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. Ash owl breeding can occur regardless of the time of year, although eggs are mainly laid between January and June, but there are cases of nesting in the spring, from August to September. During this period, the males become very noisy, they often make a “bomb whistle” call. A pair of owls make a nest in a large hollow of an old but living tree, and then lines and insulates it with soft bedding. The nest can be located on a tree at any height from 10 to 50 meters. Several cases of nesting of the ashy owl in caves are known, which, apparently, is due to the lack of suitable hollow trees. Females occupy the hollow a few weeks before the start of 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.

Ash owl females usually lay 1-2 rounded white eggs, 44-52 mm long and 36-41 mm wide. Hatching lasts about 42 days. The male feeds the female right in the nest. The chicks are first covered with gray down and fledge by about 3 months. The chick of a newly fledged ash 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-bore, fern-covered trees. Dappled owls are sedentary birds, they adhere to their own territorial boundaries. But they can also hunt in dry forests, but they need high humidity during the breeding season and for shelters.

Appearance

The little black barn owl inhabits dense tropical forests on the plains of Northeast Australia: northeast Queensland (Cooktown - Townsville line, around Lake Ichem). Some researchers include this species in Tyto tenebricosa.

The lesser barn owl is noticeably smaller in size than the southern black barn owl, which lives in the forests of northern Queensland. Wet endemic rainforest this area of ​​Australia. Both types of barn owls are often called silver barn owls, referring to the silvery-white color of the underside of the bird. Barn owl lighter in color of the upper body, it is often grayish-brown with a large number light streaks of a silvery-white shade on the head and wings; there are also black birds, but also very colorful. The facial disc is large - silvery white around the eyes. Around the disk there is a bright border of short dark feathers. The underside of the body is silvery white with many dark spots, which are especially numerous on the chest, which makes the chest look 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 backward, 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 barn owls ranges from 31-38 cm.

Lifestyle

Barn owls lead a secretive life, but their location can be determined by the cry, which eyewitnesses identify as "bomb whistle". This is a loud trill-whistling, turning into a loud scream, heard at a great distance. When threatening, the barn owl clicks its tongue, making clacking sounds to irritate its opponent.

The black barn owl is a hollow nester. For nesting, it chooses large hollows of a living tree, sometimes in a fork of large knots, giving preference to trees called rose gum. In other cases, it occupies natural depressions between the roots of trees and in natural niches along the slopes of the banks. 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 in the nest several times a night. The number of breeding pairs in the rainforests of north Queensland is estimated at 2,000 pairs. Barn owls inhabit the area from the mountains south of Cooktown to the north of this area. For them, the optimal territory is 50 hectares.

Barn owls are able to overcome dense thickets while hunting. rainforest at night, locating their prey and attacking it. They feed on terrestrial animals: rats, other rodents, bandicoots, lizards, frogs and other small mammals. Sometimes they prey on arboreal animals, birds and possums. Since barn owls are at the beginning of the food chain, the size of their livestock depends on the food supply. Another deterrent is human anxiety. These are territorial birds that do not move far from their possessions.

Barn owls have a long lifespan and low breeding rates, so the population is never over-populated. 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 now 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 established by experiment, is four times the hearing capabilities of other animals. This allows them to hunt in absolute darkness. This unique ability is achieved by a special structure of the ears, in which both ears are located asymmetrically at different levels. Thanks to this, the sound signal reaches the right and left ears with some time difference, which allows the owl to more accurately locate a potential victim. In addition, the ear hole, located above, is directed downward 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 the hunt, the barn owl attacks prey, wrapping its claws around it in such a way that the claws cling to the victim from four sides. Owls swallow their prey whole with feathers, fur and claws, and then once or twice a day they burp undigested remnants in the form of dense balls - pellets.

A lot of harm to barn owls is caused by the use of pesticides in agriculture, they are most vulnerable to DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane). Barn owl populations cause great damage road traffic because owls tend to hunt along roadsides. Many medium and large birds, including barn owls, die on power lines.

Tyto multipunctata (Mathews , )

Tyto multipunctata - a bird of the barn owl family, living in Australia.

area

Tyto multipunctata inhabits dense tropical forests on the plains of Northeast Australia: northeast Queensland (Cooktown - Townsville line, vicinity of Lake Itham). Some researchers include this species in Tyto tenebricosa(black barn owl).

Appearance

Tyto multipunctata noticeably inferior in size to the black barn owl, which lives in forests in northern Queensland. Endemic to the tropical rainforests of this area of ​​Australia. Both types of barn owls are often called silver barn owls, referring to the silvery-white color of the underside of the bird. The barn owl is lighter in color of the upper body, it is often grayish-brown with a large number of light silver-white speckles on the head and wings; there are also black birds, but also very colorful. The facial disc is large - silvery white around the eyes. Around the disk there is a bright border of short dark feathers. The underside of the body is silvery white with many dark spots, which are especially numerous on the chest, which makes the chest look 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 backward, 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 barn owls ranges from 31-38 cm.

Lifestyle

Barn owls lead a secretive life, but their location can be determined by the cry, which eyewitnesses identify as "bomb whistle". This is a loud trill-whistling, turning into a loud scream, heard at a great distance. When threatening, the barn owl clicks its tongue, making clacking sounds to irritate its opponent.

Tyto multipunctata- hollow nest. For nesting, it chooses large hollows of a living tree, sometimes in a fork of large knots, giving preference to trees called rose gum. In other cases, it occupies natural depressions between the roots of trees and in natural niches along the slopes of the banks. 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 in the nest several times a night. The number of breeding pairs in the rainforests of north Queensland is estimated at 2,000 pairs. Barn owls inhabit the area from the mountains south of Cooktown to the north of this area. For them, the optimal territory is 50 hectares.

Hunting

When hunting, barn owls are able to overcome dense rainforest at night, locating their prey and attacking it. They feed on terrestrial animals: rats, other rodents, bandicoots, lizards, frogs and other small mammals. Sometimes they prey on arboreal animals, birds and possums. Since barn owls are at the beginning of the food chain, the size of their livestock depends on the food supply. Another deterrent is human anxiety. These are territorial birds that do not move far from their possessions.

Average wing length - 243-343 mm; wingspan - 103 cm. Length of females - 44-51 cm; weight - 900-1100 g. Length of males - 37-43 cm; weight - 600-700 g.

Owl of medium size without "ears"-tufts. Females are usually larger and heavier than males (weight difference up to 350 g), however, in one of the observed pairs, reverse sexual dimorphism was detected.

The main plumage of the bird is ash-black; on a rounded facial corolla, the color of which varies from light gray to graphite (gradually darkens from light edges to the middle), there are very large black eyes.

The lower part of the abdomen and thighs is dark, with small uneven black spots. The iris of the eye is a rich dark brown color, the beak is light cream. The legs are densely feathered down to the base of dark gray toes, which end in massive black-brown claws. The wings are short, rounded and uniform along the entire length; very short tail.

Chicks are covered with whitish or light gray down; juveniles look almost like adults, but with a darker facial disc.

Voice

The most famous call of the Barn Barn Owl is a long downward whistle, which is often compared to the sound of a flying