Payton: Barn Owl
Payton is a European barn owl. Barn owls are found on most continents of the planet except the polar regions and vary slightly in their colour and appearance. The European barn owl appears more orange in colour than the typical British barn owl, like Glide.
Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
Appearance
The Barn Owl is a medium-sized owl with a heart-shaped facial disc that gives it incredibly sensitive hearing, and deep, dark eyes giving the ability to see movement with very little light.
Food
Barn Owls are birds of prey, hunting and catching small mammals, mostly mice and field voles. They have some extraordinary specially adapted characteristics to help them hunt for food at night but generally hunt around dusk and dawn in poor light conditions.
Habitat
Wild owls often live near open fields and farmland where they can access their food source. They roost in old buildings, barns, tree hollows, caves, and nest boxes by day. Our captive owls spend their days and night is specially designed aviaries that allow then access to the outdoor weather condition but also giving them a safe dark place to hide away.
How long do Barn Owls live?
A typical lifespan for a wild adult Barn Owl is 4 years although in captivity they can live much longer (over 15 years) due to the special care and attention we give them. In the wild most Barn Owls die young. Of those that fledge, approximately 70% die in their first year. This is usually due to the harsh cold winters when their food supply decreases or through poisoning of their food source by chemicals used in the farming industry.
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Help us to educate people in more detail than above with public visits with our birds.
You are helping to protect the future of these birds in the wild as we raise awareness of ways to help their wild populations through conservation.
Please remember that Owls do not make good pets for inexperienced keepers. They require lots of studying, upkeep costs and correct housing on top of the daily care and attention to allow them a life as close to that of their wild populations as possible.