Western Barn Owl
Photo: Steven Ward · CC BY 2.0

Bay Owls and Barn Owls

Western Barn Owl

Tyto alba

NENot Evaluated
Family
Bay Owls and Barn Owls (Tytonidae)
Order
Strigiformes

Overview

The western barn owl (Tyto alba) is a species of barn owl native to Europe, southwestern Asia, and Africa. It was formerly considered a subspecies group together with barn owls native to other parts of the world, but this classification was found to be paraphyletic with respect to some other members of the genus.
The plumage on the head and back is a mottled shade of grey or brown; that on the underparts varies from white to brown and is sometimes speckled with dark markings. The facial disc is characteristically large and heart-shaped, with white plumage in most subspecies.

Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Range and habitat

Sources and further reading

Last updated September 29, 2026.