Barn Owls are everywhere! The Barnie is the most widely distributed owl in the world, found on all continents but Antarctica. They've even recently made it to New Zealand, possibly from hopping aboard ships or airplanes.
They are medium owls, primarily white, but come in a number of different patterns, have a very distinct heart shaped face, and the scream of a banshee. Whether it reminds you of an angel or a ghost, it is otherworldly and unforgettable regardless.
Barn owls have great hearing, even for owls, and we're involved in famous studies about owl hearing and how they can hunt in complete darkness.
White it's found its way almost everywhere, will it find your upvote today?
While the Mottled Wood Owl may be unfamiliar to a lot of you, once you see it, it's hard to forget. It is a large owl of India and Nepal with a wild mottled and wavy plumage.
In some parts of India, it is thought to be a bad omen, and it's haunting call gets it the name "fowl of death." If you ask me, some more data is needed before I'm convinced of its danger to humans. More typically it hunts larger insects, rodents, birds, crabs, and lizards.
Is this owl your kind of wild and strange? If it is, show it your support now!
#owloftheyear2025 #superbowl
Their color just gives them such a mystical effect in the right lightings.
They are one of the most widely distributed birds in the world, yet I hear so many regions saying the population numbers are down. I was talking Barnies to our clinic director and she said she hasn't gotten a single one in 16 years on the job.
Thankfully there are groups around the world looking to improve those counts and they are seeing some success. They are splendid animals that deserve to be treasured.