Barn owl

Introduction: Barn owls (Tyto alba) will inhabit any region that has both suitable nesting and roosting sites, as well as abundant food. Habitats such as desert to evergreen forest edges can accommodate barn owls, as can light-wooded savannah and grasslands.

Distribution: Throughout Namibia including the Namib Desert, Kalahari Desert, Windhoek, Orange River and Fish River Canyon.

Diet: Hunts as soon as night falls in search over vegetation for victims, dropping feet-first onto ground prey before killing prey with a bite to the neck or squeezing with their feet. Eats hares, young francolin, but mostly rodents, shrews and birds. Desert barn owls also hunt for geckos and scorpions. Eats mammals in the winter and birds and insects in the summer. Bats, lizards and frogs are also on the menu.

Description: Alba is the Latin word for white. Choice of characteristic calls, which are usually a long, loud hissing screech, especially in flight. Hungry chicks emit a loud snoring and wheezing call.

Breeding: Females lay between 2 and 13 eggs year round, peaking between February to May. Incubation periods are around 30 days.

Size: 32cm.

Weight: 410g.