The Barn Owl is one of the most easily recognised of the Owl family. It is quite beautiful with a golden/buff coloured upper, with silver grey and white under parts. It has a distinctive heart shaped face and when seen in flight looks predominantly white. The male Barn Owls have a slightly darker upper and small black spots on the underside.

The Barn Owl is quite graceful in flight with a wing span of about 85cm, though it is only 34cm from head to tail. They hunt whilst airbourne as against flying from a perch, and prefer open grassland and parkland to dense vegetation. 

Contrary to popular belief, the Barn Owl does not hoot, instead it emits a long squeeky screetch as well as a hiss. Their diet consists of small mice as well as other small rodents including young rabbits, moles. frogs and small birds.