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Eastern Barn OwlAlternate name(s): "Barn Owl", "Delicate Barn Owl", "Screeching Owl", "Lesser Masked Owl", "White Owl", "Australian Barn Owl" ![]() Size: 30-40 cm; wing span 70-90 cm (female larger than male) Weight: 250-420 g (male), 260-470 g (female) |
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Similar species |
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See Eastern
Barn Owl at Wikipedia ![]() |
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Full-frontal view of a male(?) Eastern Barn Owl in captivity
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
Near-lateral view of a male(?) Eastern Barn Owl in captivity
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
Dorsal view of a male(?) Eastern Barn Owl in captivity;
note the sparsity of rufous hues
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
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FEMALE |
Full-frontal view of a female Eastern Barn Owl -
note the rufous-grey back (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, April 2018]
Frontal view of a female(?) Eastern Barn Owl
[Near Gurley, NSW, December 2013]
Frontal view of a snoozing female Eastern Barn Owl
(photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Gilgandra, NSW, July 2011]
Near-frontal view of a female Eastern Barn Owl looking sideways
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, April 2018]
Near-lateral view of a female Eastern Barn Owl
(photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Gilgandra, NSW, March 2012]
Lateral view of a female Eastern Barn Owl looking at the observer
(photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Bedouri to Boulia Highway, western QLD, September 2019]
Lateral view of a female Eastern Barn Owl
(photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Bedouri to Boulia Highway, western QLD, September 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a female Eastern Barn Owl looking at the
photographer (photo courtesy of M. Windeyer)
[Gilgandra, NSW, September 2017]
Near-lateral view of a female Eastern Barn Owl in captivity
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of two Eastern Barn Owls; it is unknown to us whether this
is a pair or an adult with a dependent juvenile; although the bird on
the right appears to be taller than the one on the left, the one on
the left may be hunched - in a pair the more heavily speckled bird would
be the female, which is normally also larger
[Near Gurley, NSW, December 2013]
Frontal view of two Eastern Barn Owls
[Near Gurley, NSW, December 2013]
Frontal view of two Eastern Barn Owls
[Near Gurley, NSW, December 2013]
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Territorial | Mobility: Dispersive | Elementary unit: Solitary/pair |
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Food, Diet |
Like other owls, Eastern Barn Owls are carnivores. They prey mostly on small mammals, in particular mice.
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
barnowl_20201208_2.m4a | (NW NSW) | Contact call | © MD | |
barnowl_20201208.m4a | (NW NSW) | Contact call | © MD | |
barnowl_20191203.m4a | (NW NSW) | Contact calls | © MD | |
barnowl_20191203_2.m4a | (NW NSW) | Contact calls (+ Brush-tailed Possum + Australian Owlet-nightjar) | © MD | |
barnowl_20191203_3.m4a | (NW NSW) | Begging calls (juvenile) | © MD |
More Eastern Barn Owl sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.