Biography
Identified by its heart-shaped facial disk, white underparts, and long legs, the barn owl roosts and nests on ledges in old buildings, silos, and barns, as well as in hollow trees. Having the most sensitive hearing of all owls, the barn owl can pinpoint the direction and distance of rustling prey in total darkness. One owl consumes almost 1,000 rodents per year. Not a hooting owl, the bird makes raspy screeches, hisses and clicks with its beak. The owl's eerie shriek and silent mothlike flight have startled many a nighttime traveler.
Our Animal's Story
There are currently two male barn owls in the habitat. One of the owls arrived at ZooAmerica in June of 2018 as a 4 month old from the Western North Carolina Nature Center. The other owl arrived at ZooAmerica in October of 2020 from the Maryland Zoo. This owl was injured in the wild and was taken to a Baltimore wildlife rehabilitator where it was decided that he was non-releasable due to his injuries.
