Face is rather flat. An owl god of Maui is said to have brought back to life the lost souls wandering the plains there. ... ON HAWAII: Introduced on Hawaii in the 1960s for rodent control, now established and common on all main islands. These non-native owls are often mistaken for the native pueo. BARN OWL (Tyto alba) – (See images below) DESCRIPTION: The Barn Own has a large heart-shaped white facial disk edged in light reddish-brown. Upper parts are generally reddish beige with grey patches. Lanky, with a whitish face, chest, and belly, and buffy upperparts, this owl roosts in hidden, quiet places during the day. It was introduced in the 1800s to combat a growing rodent problem. It is also known as the common barn owl, to distinguish it from the other species in its family, Tytonidae, which forms one of the two main lineages of living owls, the other being the typical owls (Strigidae). Idaho Barn Owls – Widespread across the southwestern region, rare in the northern mountains but good populations in the Snake River and Clearwater Canyons. Barn Owl (Tyto alba) Also know as Common Barn Owl Species Code: TYAL Description: The Barn Owl is a medium-sized raptor, a nocturnal bird of prey like other owls. But barn owls are light in color. By night, they hunt on buoyant wingbeats in open fields and meadows. The Barn Owl has a white heart-shaped face and white chest with small brown spots. You can find them by listening for their eerie, raspy calls, quite unlike the hoots of other owls. Sightings of the pueo are relatively rare. The barn owl is nocturnal over most of its range, but in Britain and some Pacific islands, it … It is from Dr. Javier Cotin of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Hawaii is also home to a population of the common barn owl. They are most active during dusk and nightfall. The barn owl (Tyto alba) is the most widely distributed species of owl in the world and one of the most widespread of all species of birds. The Barn Owl makes a screeching noise they don't hoot like most owls do. Discovered in its daytime retreat, the Barn Owl bobs its head and weaves back and forth, peering at the intruder. Their white face is more heart-shaped than pueo’s. Its numbers are excellent, especially around sugar cane farms. Barn owls also make a distinctive screeching sound. Ghostly pale and normally strictly nocturnal, Barn Owls are silent predators of the night world. While Pueo can be seen at any time, tree-nesting barn owls are typically only seen at dawn and at dusk. Found on all continents except Antarctica, and regularly seen on all Hawaiian islands, the common barn owl is often confused with Hawaii’s smaller-sized native short-eared owl, pueo. SoundsHawaiian is dedicated to gathering, archiving, and sharing the rich natural sounds of Hawai'i - to enhance awareness of the unique place Hawai'i holds in the panoply of life on the Earth. The barn owl is the most widely distributed species of owl and one of the most widespread of all birds. With its ghostly appearance, rasping shrieks, and habit of roosting in such places as church belfries, this bird has attracted much superstition. Hawaii Barn Owls – The common barn owl, Tyto alba, was introduced into Hawaii in 1958. Raptors have strong grasping talons for killing prey, and a hooked upper beak for tearing meat. However, it is really a good omen for farmers who find it in their barns, for it preys chiefly on mice and rats. See other Hawaii owl sightings in comments below. Learn more about Hawaiian short-eared owls at The Pueo Project. Head and weaves back and forth, peering at the pueo Project are excellent especially. 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