Reproduction

Barn Owl

Courtship begins with display flights by males which are accompanied by advertising calls and chasing the female. The male will also hover with feet dangling in front of the perched female for several seconds; these are known as moth flights. Pairs typically remain together as long as both live. Barn owls are most commonly monogamous. Their pairs often use an old nest that has been occupied for decades rather than buiding a new one. The female typically lays four to seven solid white eggs in a dark space surrounded by pellets. She then incubates them for 29 to 34 days. They are altricial. All brooding is doneby the female, beginning immediately after hatching and lasting until the oldest young is about 25 days old.  Most barn owls have a relatively short life span. However, the highest recorded wild lifespan in a barn owl is 8 years. Due to the short life span of barn owls (2 years on average), most individuals breed only once or twice.

Owl

Courtship rituals vary from species to species, but invariably involve calling. The male will usually try and attract a female to a suitable nest site and may use special courtship flights, calls and offerings of food. Copulation often follows the acceptance of food by the female. There is often mutual preening, with the pair perched close together. Owls are monogamous. Most owls breed just once a year. They do not build their own nests. Eggs are laid on bare ground or the floor of the tree cavity. They are white and more round than oval. They lay between one and thirteen eggs, depending on the species and also on the particular season. Often, the youngest, smallest nestlings do not survive. Incubation of the eggs usually begins when the first one is laid, and lasts, in most species, for around thirty days. Life expectancy of owls is from 15 to 20 years.

 The Strigiformes consist of 29 genera and 20 species in two families. These birds have a number of adaptations to stalking prey at night. Their wings have a series of soft, fluffy plumage that allows them to fly silently. The ears on each side of their head are of different sizes and shapes allowing them to pinpoint their prey. This combined with the disk shape of the head that funnels sound, and large eyes, make them excellent nocturnal hunters.

Owls

 

Typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. Owls hunt prey that includes mammals, other birds, reptiles, and insects. They do not have teeth to chew their food and consequently swallow their prey whole. About 6 hours after feeding, owls throw up the indigestible parts of their meal as a pellet of bones, feathers or fur. Some better-known owl species include spectacled owls, great horned owls, spotted owls, snowy owls, tawny owls and short-eared owls.

 Barn Owls

male owl(left), female owl(right)

The Barn Owl is one of the most widely distributed birds in the world, found on all continents except Antarctica, and on many oceanic islands as well. It has been introduced by people to some of the few places it did not already occur, namely Hawaii, the Seychelles Islands, and Lord Howe Island. Barn owls are medium to large sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They are pale, long-winged, long-legged with a short squarish tail. They have long strong legs with powerful talons.  They Hunt at night, flying low over ground. Found in open habitats, such as grasslands, deserts, marshes, and agricultural fields. They feed on rodents, birds, fish and large insects. They Nest in hollow trees, cliff cavities, in buildings, and nest boxes.
Sources
wikipedia
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