Barn owl in flight by Peter Mallett 1/10
Barn owl hunting by Rob Haynes 2/10
Barn owl diving for prey by Julian Thomas 3/10
Barn owl with prey by Elizabeth Dack 4/10
Barn owl with prey by Elizabeth Dack 5/10
Barn owl flying into a barn by Rob Haynes 6/10
Barn owl at night by Mark Ollett 7/10
Barn owl in flight by Geoffrey Tibbenham 8/10
Barn owl in flight by Nick Appleton 9/10
Barn owl by Carole Fox 10/10

Barn owl Tyto alba

With a heart shaped face, buff back and wings and pure white under parts the barn owl is a distinctive and much loved countryside bird. Widely distributed across the UK, and indeed the world, the bird has suffered declines over the past fifty years as a result of the degradation of once prey-rich habitats in the face of intensive agricultural practices.

Conservation status

Threatened, barn owls have declined both nationally and in Norfolk. Barn owl numbers have fallen by more than half since 1932. Reasons for this decline include a fall in the number of nest sites with barns and derelict farm buildings being converted into homes, road deaths and the decline in area of rough grassland hunting grounds.

Related questions & advice

Where is the best place to put up a barn owl box?
Where can I buy a barn owl box?
What should I do if I find a sick bird in my garden?
What should I do if I find a ringed bird?
What should I do if I find dead birds?
When is the best time to move barn owl nest boxes?
What is happening to barn owl numbers?
Where can I see barn owls in Norfolk?
How can I get involved in monitoring bird populations?
How do I make a barn owl nest box?

Details

Did you know?

Other Norfolk names for the barn owl include hushwing, due to their silent flight, Billy Wix and White Owl.

Barn owls hunt as much by sound as by sight and the stiff feathers of the barn owl’s face mask reflect sound to the owl’s ears.

 

How to recognise
Where to see
When to see
How to help
Share this