Barn owl above a meadow

Barn owls cut a ghostly figure as they flutter silently above their farmland hunting grounds. Indeed the unearthly shrieks, cries and hisses of the Barn Owl (and its association with churches) may have given rise to a widespread association of owls with all things evil and their persecution right up until the 1950's.

UK Distribution: 400 breeding pairs with the greatest density being in the south and east of England.

World Distribution: Europe (110-200,000 breeding pairs), South Asia, Africa, Australasia, North & South America

Habitat: Open country, savanna, farmland

Diet: Small mammals (mice small voles, shrews), some small birds.

Spotting Barn owls: The best time to see barn owls is just before dusk, particularly after prolonged rainfall. Barn owls can't hunt when they are wet as their waterlogged feathers are no longer silent in flight.

Best places to see Barn owls: Type 'barn owl' into the search facility on this website to find out some of the best places in the UK to spot them.