American Barn Owl – Reflections of the Natural World
One Moment in Nature is a reflection back in time to a moment of discovery as I explored the natural settings around me. Through the sharing of this moment, is my hope that readers will become motivated to learn more about our environment and its inhabitants, and become passionate advocates for conservation. One Moment in Nature is a Reflections of the Natural World Blog Post Series by Jim Gain
THE AMERICAN BARN OWL MOMENT – Clearly the biggest challenge for my Photographic Big Year in Stanislaus County for 2025 was/is to photograph the nocturnal birds. I had American Barn Owls fly over my house multiple times with their screeches and bill-clicking and I’ve seen them on fenceposts and telephone poles while driving at night, but I was never able to successfully snap a photo of one. Then I read a report that they were visible DURING THE DAY at the famous Owl Rock in Del Puerto Canyon. That next morning I was out the door running before dawn with high hopes of a successful hunt. As I rounded the corner looking for a spot to pull off, an American Barn Owl flew from the tree right to the creek side of the road and flew over to the cliff face. Fortunately that pointed me directly to their nest. Now, NO WORRIES about harassment as I was using a very high resolution camera with a 700 mm lens. After about 150 photos snapped, I was off, up the canyon hoping for additional feathered subjects.
WHAT’S IN A NAME – Tyto furcata; Tyto = night-owl; furcata = two-pronged fork (posible a reference to the split/forked facial disk?)
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION – The American Barn Owl (Tyto furcata) is a medium-sized, ghostly pale owl with a distinctive heart-shaped facial disc, dark eyes, and long, rounded wings. Its plumage is a mix of golden buff and soft gray on the upperparts, with white to light buff underparts that vary by region and individual. Slender and long-legged, it has a graceful, buoyant flight and an eerie, raspy screech that contrasts with its silent wingbeats. The owl’s overall appearance is both elegant and haunting, perfectly suited to its nocturnal, open-country lifestyle.
STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION IN CALIFORNIA’S CENTRAL VALLEY – The American Barn Owl is widespread and locally common throughout California’s Central Valley, where it inhabits open agricultural landscapes, grasslands, and riparian corridors, often nesting in barns, silos, and tree cavities. It occurs year-round, with stable populations supported by abundant rodent prey and artificial nest sites, especially in orchard and vineyard regions. The species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, though regional populations may fluctuate with land use changes and pesticide exposure. Natural history observations highlight its nocturnal hunting behavior, silent flight, and reliance on auditory cues to locate prey, with breeding typically occurring in late winter through spring.
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