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.