Barn Owl

(Tyto alba)

Arrived at Lakeside Nature Center on July 9, 2004.

This female barn owl came to Lakeside as a 3 week old, fuzzy owlet.  She had been purchased from World Bird Sanctuary in St Louis, Missouri, where she was hatched.  She spent the next three months growing adult feathers and getting bigger and stronger until she became the adult bird you see now.  During her development, she was fed and cared for by people so that she would "imprint" on humans.  She will be used for many years to come as an educator to teach humans about barn owls and their importance.

Natural history notes.

• Barn owls are found in North America from extreme southern Canada southward.
• They hunt at night for rats, voles and mice in fields, farmyards and marshes.
• Barn owls nest in barns, abandoned buildings and hollow trees.

Check out this owl's picture gallery.

For more information on barn owls, check out the Critter Corner entry.