Who has never been surprised by that ghostly shadow, appearing without a sound out of nowhere; then silently disappearing again into the dark of the night? Sadly, this is all most people ever get to see of Tyto alba, better known as the Barn Owl, one of the most beautiful birds of prey gracing the countryside with its presence.
Barn Owl Description
The upper part of the bird is golden and buff coloured, laced with silvery grey patches. Its very distinctive face, shaped like a heart, and its underside are white.
There is little difference between males and females, although sometimes the females are slightly darker on top and feature tiny black spots on their underside.