Barn Owls & Vantage Points?

natural Barn Owl habitats, the species adapted and made good use of buildings, including grain silos, barns and other structures that served as protection from climatic elements. There are certain characteristics of an ideal Barn Owl habitat. These habitat traits typically revolve around two key functions which are closely connected in purpose: food and reproduction. Most animals will reproduce as abundantly as their food source allows and the Barn Owl is no exception. The choice of an ideal roosting and nesting place is not only ideal for their survival but essential to their species’ population.

Before the construction of man-made habitats like silos, barns, and church steeples, Barn

Owls navigated the landscape for safe and advantageous nesting and roosting sites. We call places that lend themselves to prime hunting and safety “vantage points.” Take a look at the photo at the top of the facing page. It shows something known as “whitewash.” This is a birder’s first sign that a Barn Owl may reside there. What makes this type of place ideal for any bird of prey is the way it sits above an open field or meadow. This field will likely supply year-long food for several Barn Owl families living in the pictured rock formation.

If you ever hike below rocky vantage points, keep your eyes on the ground. If you locate a “bone-yard” you can probably look up and find a nesting site for owls—in this case, a Barn Owl. Around the base of these rocks, you’ll likely find owl pellets, feathers, bones and masses of fur. If you look beyond the rocks, however, you will almost always find a field of grain, grass, or other food source for the Barn Owl’s principle prey, the vole. The Barn Owl’s home almost always includes this central characteristic.

Another important characteristic for a Barn Owl habitat is the direction the nest faces in relationship to weather, including wind, sun and rain. The most ideal habitat is one that is well-protected from these elements so that the offspring get an ideal start in life without weather presenting an obstacle to their survival. Additionally, the sun provides an incubator effect when the nest is facing the correct direction.

The last important characteristic for an ideal habitat is safety from other predators. Because a number of other birds and many mammals find eggs to be a tasty meal, the female owl will choose a location that makes it difficult for these predators to access her chicks. In addition, she will choose a place that offers quick escape in case these predators desire to make a meal of her!