A medium-sized bird with a characteristic heart-shaped facial disk, the eastern barn owl (Tyto javanica), is found in Australia, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and several Pacific islands. It was formerly regarded as a subspecies of the more well-known and widespread western barn owl (Tyto alba).
Like all other barn owl species, the eastern barn owl is a land bird, mostly nocturnal, and one of the most versatile birds of the world.
This tropical bird species has a cryptic plumage with varying shades of gray, brown, and white, paler on the undersides and the face.
However, it's not just the heart-shaped face that makes these birds special among the lot - the eastern barn owl call is a rasping screech, pretty different from the conventional hoot that owls are mostly associated with. In fact, the shrieking call is typical of all barn owl species.
As evident from its name, the eastern barn owls are a common sight in barns and are most often spotted flying over marshlands and farms at night, alert to the sounds made by prey on the ground.
However, wild barn owls are a common site in wooded areas and forests as well.
Want to know more about the wild barn owls of the tropics? Then read on for more interesting facts about the mystic eastern barn owls. For more relatable content, check out these tawny owl interesting facts and short-eared owl facts for kids.
Eastern Barn Owl Interesting Facts
What type of animal is an eastern barn owl?
The eastern barn owl (Tyto javanica) is a species of owl of the family Tytonidae.
What class of animal does an eastern barn owl belong to?
The eastern barn owls belong to class Aves which includes all birds.
How many eastern barn owls are there in the world?
The exact population size of the eastern barn owls is not available. However, these birds are quite widespread across Asia and Australia.
Where does an eastern barn owl live?
Barn owls are pretty widespread across most continents, except Antarctica. Eastern barn owls are spread throughout Australia, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and several islands in the Pacific. These birds are usually common at altitudes below 6,600 ft (2,011.7 m), but those in the tropics may be found at higher elevations of around 9,800 ft (2,987 m).
The eastern barn owls' population in Australia often migrate southward during the wet season and move up to the northern coast at the onset of the dry season. Rodent plagues may also account for the nomadic behavior of these birds of prey.
Individuals located in New Zealand, Lord Howe Island, and Norfolk Island are proof that these birds undertake an extraordinary feat of cross-ocean movements.
Breeding barn owls may be spotted in a nest located in tree hollows, cliff crevices, barns, old buildings, and other artificial structures. Egg-laying in nest boxes is not uncommon.
What is an eastern barn owl's habitat?
The eastern barn owls inhabit open or semi-open, mostly arid lowlands. They are a common sight in farms, grasslands, and lightly wooded forest areas. These birds of prey generally do not venture into cold and harsh terrains as other owl species do.
Who do eastern barn owls live with?
Barn owls are generally solitary birds but may be found in pairs during the breeding season.
How long does an eastern barn owl live?
Wild barn owls are relatively short-lived, with an average lifespan of about four years. Captive birds may live longer, up to 20 years or more. The oldest known barn owl is reported to have lived for 34 years.
How do they reproduce?
Like other barn owl species, the eastern barn owl is typically monogamous, staying loyal to one partner for life unless one of them dies. The breeding season usually spans over the entire year, with egg-laying taking place during the dry season.
However, egg-laying is influenced to a great extend by the availability of prey like small mammals.
The birds build their nest in tree cavities, caves, cliff fissures, barns, and buildings. While no specific material is used for building the cavity nest of these birds, it is very common for the female owls to carpet the nest with the dry furry material from cast pellets to protect the eggs and the chicks.
The initial stages of the courtship in the breeding season are characterized by much chasing, screeching, and twists and turns in flight. Pair-bonding takes place later when the female sits in the nest while the male forages and brings food.
After mating and an incubation period of about a month, the female lays a clutch of about five eggs on average. Clutches of four to seven are most common, with numbers going up when prey is in abundance.
The female lays the eggs every alternate day, and the egg-laying can go on for a prolonged period. Even though the female alone incubates the eggs, both parents are involved in feeding and caring for the eastern barn owl young.
The chicks fledge at about the ninth week and start leaving the nest. However, the young birds need parental supervision until they are about thirteen weeks old.
What is their conservation status?
The eastern barn owl is Not Listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
Eastern Barn Owl Fun Facts
What do eastern barn owls look like?
Eastern barn owls are medium-sized birds with heart-shaped facial disks. The plumage is light gray and sandy orange above with whitish to creamy white tones underneath. The facial disk is white with a prominent heart-shaped outline.
The back and the breast areas have evenly spaced black spots. At birth, the young birds are typically covered with grayish-brown down but develop quickly to resemble the adults in plumage. The female owls are slightly larger than the male birds.
How cute are they?
The heart-shaped face, gleaming black eyes, and a downward pointing beak make the eastern barn owl look pretty cute and wise at the same time.
How do they communicate?
The eastern barn owls are generally quiet. Their typical call is a rough and rasping screech, commonly heard at night when the bird hunts by flying.
Whistling, wheezing, bill clacking, and snapping are frequently heard during threat displays and mating. The male bird's screech is usually high-pitched and shaky, while the female gives out a lower-pitched and harsher call.
In addition, barn owls have asymmetrically placed ears that endow these birds with acute hearing abilities. This exceptional sensory ability allows the birds to locate and hunt prey even in complete darkness.
How big is an eastern barn owl?
The eastern barn owls have an average body length of about 13.4 in (34 cm). The species is almost the same size as the western barn owl (Tyto alba).
How fast can an eastern barn owl fly?
Barn owls are known to fly at a speed of 10-20 mph (16.1-32.2 kph) when foraging. The birds are unique for their ability to fly slowly and quietly, especially when hunting.
How much does an eastern barn owl weigh?
The eastern barn owls weigh between 8.8-16.9 oz (250-480 g).
What are the male and female names of the species?
Male and female owls do not have distinct names.
What would you call a baby eastern barn owl?
All baby owls, including eastern barn owl babies, are called owlets.
What do they eat?
The diet of eastern barn owls comprises small mammals, birds, insects, frogs, lizards, mice, and rats. The birds' long and slender legs with powerful talons are ideal for maneuvering and catching prey.
Its exceptional hearing abilities further assists in locating prey even in complete darkness. These birds often hoard food in their roosting sites as a stock for scarce periods.
Are they dangerous?
Barn owls are not known to be dangerous at all. They are rather shy birds that like to keep to themselves. With the provision of nest boxes and food, these owls can peacefully co-exist with humans. Barn owls are stealthy predators of smaller animals that serve as food to the bird of prey.
Would they make a good pet?
Even though barn owls are harmless, keeping them as house pets are not recommended by avian experts. The primary reason is that the birds are wild, their waking hours are devoted to hunting, and their sharp talons and powerful legs are capable of inflicting severe harm.
Besides, they don't cuddle, they have a specialized diet, and they take up a lot of space.
Did you know...
Eastern barn owls undergo periodic molting because their feathers wear away over time. The female starts to molt while incubating the eggs. During this time, the male feeds her and brings her food, so the female does not need to fly.
How many types of barn owls are there?
Different authorities have put forth discreet taxonomical classifications of the barn owl. However, the most well-known classification groups the barn owls into three major categories - the American barn owl group, the eastern barn owl group found in Australasia and Southeast Asia, and the western barn owl group of west Asia, Europe, and Africa.
Each group has several species and subspecies with considerable variations in size and color. Barn owls are widespread across every continent, except Antarctica.
Is the eastern barn owl native to Australia?
Yes, the eastern barn owl is native to Australia, Southeastern Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and some Pacific islands.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our griffon vulture interesting facts and burrowing owl fun facts for kids pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable north American barn owl coloring pages.
Second image by Niraj mani chourasia.
