© Barn Owl by Andy Rouse Barn Owl Tyto Alba Perhaps the most familiar owl, the barn owl will often hunt during the daytime and can be seen ‘quartering’ over fields and grasslands looking for its next small mammal meal. © Barn owl, Jon Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography However, barn owls are also perfectly adapted to hunt in darkness with deadly precision: their silent flight and heart-shaped face which directs high-frequency sounds, help them to find mice and voles in the vegetation. How to Identify Unmistakeable: the barn owl is ghostly white below, mottled silver-grey and buff above with a heart-shaped, white face and black eyes. Where to Find Widespread, absent from the Highlands of Scotland. How People Can Help Although widespread across Britain and even the world, barn owls have suffered huge declines here over the last 50 years due to agricultural intensification and habitat loss. Working with farmers, landowners, other organisations and local people, The Wildlife Trusts have helped to halt this decline by providing suitable nestboxes and managing habitats for their benefit and the benefit of their small mammal prey. You can help barn owls to bounce back by volunteering for your local Wildlife Trust and helping with everything from nestbox schemes to habitat maintenance. Did you know? Throughout history, barn owls have been known by many different names such as ‘ghost owl’, ‘church owl’ and ‘screech owl’. But the name ‘demon owl’, in particular, illustrates how they were considered by some rural populations – something not so difficult to understand when you hear its piercing call. Key FactsLength: 33-39cmWingspan: 89cmWeight: 300gAverage Lifespan: 4 years Donate Donate to help support Barn Owls and other wildlife. Donate Similar Species Black-Headed Gull Birds Blackbird Birds Blackcap Birds Blue Tit Birds Bullfinch Birds Buzzard Birds Canada Goose Birds Carrion Crow Birds Chaffinch Birds Chiffchaff Birds Coal Tit Birds Collared Dove Birds Coot Birds Crossbill Birds Cuckoo Birds Curlew Birds Dipper Birds Dunnock Birds Fieldfare Birds Goldcrest Birds Golden Plover Birds Goldfinch Birds Goosander Birds Great Crested Grebe Birds Great Spotted Woodpecker Birds Great Tit Birds Greenfinch Birds Grey Heron Birds Grey Wagtail Birds Hen Harrier Birds Herring Gull Birds Hobby Birds House Martin Birds House Sparrow Birds Jackdaw Birds Jay Birds Kestrel Birds Kingfisher Birds Lapwing Birds Lesser Redpoll Birds Linnet Birds Little Egret Birds Little Grebe Birds Little Owl Birds Little Ringed Plover Birds Long-Eared Owl Birds Long-Tailed Tit Birds Magpie Birds Mallard Birds Mandarin Duck Birds Marsh Harrier Birds Meadow Pipit Birds Merlin Birds Mistle Thrush Birds Moorhen Birds Nightjar Birds Nuthatch Birds Osprey Birds Oystercatcher Birds Peregrine falcon Birds Pied Wagtail Birds Raven Birds Red Grouse Birds Red Kite Birds Redstart Birds Redwing Birds Reed Bunting Birds Reed Warbler Birds Ringed Plover Birds Robin Birds Rock Pipit Birds Rook Birds Sedge Warbler Birds Short-Eared Owl Birds Siskin Birds Skylark Birds Snipe Birds Song Thrush Birds Sparrowhawk Birds Spotted Flycatcher Birds Starling Birds Stonechat Birds Swallow Birds Swift Birds Tawny owl Birds Teal Birds Tree Sparrow Birds Treecreeper Birds Tufted Duck Birds Water Rail Birds Waxwing Birds Wheatear Birds Whimbrel Birds Whinchat Birds Whitethroat Birds Wigeon Birds Willow Warbler Birds Wood Pigeon Birds Wood Warbler Birds Woodcock Birds Wren Birds Yellow Wagtail Birds Yellowhammer Birds