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General Description: Barn Owls (Tyto alba) are large, light-colored owls with a heart-shaped face. The undersides are mostly white, and the wings, back, and top of the head are tan with gray highlights.
Taxonomy: Strigiformes, Tytonidae.
Favored Habitat: Desert scrub with cliffs where they can roost in caves or crevices, or rural areas with old buildings and barns. |
Spines on leading edge of wing feathers |
Where to Find: Around Las Vegas, look for Barn Owls in the rural areas on the outskirts of town, in places like Overton, and in cliffy areas such as the White River Narrows north of Hiko, NV.
Comments: Barn Owls have spines on the leading edge of the wing feathers. These break up the air flow over the wings and help the bird fly silently through the night. |