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Barn owl
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Barn owl (Tyto alba) Illustration of the head of a common barn owl, Tyto alba, showing its heart-shaped white face, dark eyes, and golden-brown feathers with small dark spots. Illustration of a common barn owl (Tyto alba) foot showing four toes with sharp, curved talons and feathered upper leg. A tan and white owl looking at the camera.
A barn owl's midnight hunt for food
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Barn owl (Tyto alba)
Barn owl (Tyto alba) These birds of prey hunt mainly small rodents (such as mice and shrews), such as the mouse in the photograph.

Barn owl

bird
Also known as: Tyto, monkey-faced owl
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Barn owl, any of several species of nocturnal birds of prey of the genus Tyto (family Tytonidae). Barn owls are sometimes called monkey-faced owls because of their heart-shaped facial disks and absence of ear tufts. They are about 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 inches) long, white to gray or yellowish to brownish orange. Their eyes are small in comparison with those of other owls and dark-colored. Barn owls hunt mainly small rodents (such as mice and shrews), often in cultivated land. They nest in hollow trees, buildings, towers, and old hawk nests.

Illustration of the head of a common barn owl, Tyto alba, showing its heart-shaped white face, dark eyes, and golden-brown feathers with small dark spots.
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common barn owlHead of common barn owl (Tyto alba).
Illustration of a common barn owl (Tyto alba) foot showing four toes with sharp, curved talons and feathered upper leg.
2 of 2
common barn owlFoot of common barn owl (Tyto alba).

The common barn owl (T. alba) occurs worldwide except in Antarctica and Micronesia. Although many classifications still consider the common barn owl one species, the The American Ornithological Society separated barn owls into three species in 2024 based on differences in vocalization patterns and genetics between the groups—with the western barn owl (T. alba) inhabiting Europe, western Asia, and Africa, and the eastern barn owl (T. javanica) residing in South Asia and Australia. The geographic range of the third species, the American barn owl (T. furcata), spans North America and South America.

A tan and white owl looking at the camera.
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barn owlCommon barn owl (Tyto alba).
A barn owl's midnight hunt for food
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A barn owl's midnight hunt for foodA barn owl hunting a dormouse.
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Other species occur only in the Old World. Many inhabit open grasslands. Some are called grass owls (such as the common grass owl, T. capensis, of India, the South Pacific, Australia, and South Africa).

Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)
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The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.