The white owl ( Tyto alba ) is popularly known as barn owl , but it also receives other names, such as bell owl .It is distributed around the planet, except in desert climate zones, in the poles and in other specific areas.There are also 29 subspecies of white owl, but specifically in Spain we can find three: Tyto alba alba , Tyto alba guttata and Tyto alba ernesti .
In this Animal Expert file we will talk about the white owl, explaining its physical characteristics, habitat or feeding among others.Did you know that owls are able to hunt in a dark Absolute? Do you think you can tell an owl from an owl? Then we give you the keys to achieve it.Discover more about these white-faced raptors!
Origin of the white owl
The white owl, whose scientific name is Tyto alba is a bird belonging to the totonids family , which it shares with other owls such as leggy owl, golden owl or Cape owl.All these birds of prey are usually confused with owls, as is the case with the well-known Harry Potter Hedwig, because in the movie what we see is a Snowy owl, although they refer to that bird as a white owl.The most noticeable difference is that while the owls have feathers that look like ears at first sight, and yet the owls lack them, so it is a first step to start differentiating them.
Characteristics of the white owl
White owls are raptors of medium size , with an average weight of 450 grams in males and 500 in females, these being somewhat larger than their respective.length, from the head to the tip of the tail, in males is 36 centimeters, while that of females is 38.The wingspan ranges from 80 to 95 centimeters.
These birds have rounded wings and not excessively large, with feathers whose structure allows a silent flight, although not too prolonged.One of its main characteristics is the heart-shaped disc that look on his face, of an absolute white, framing dark eyes and small size.
The plumage of these raptors is a yellowish cream with whitish pints , comprising a range of very light gray or golden shades.Females tend to have darker colors than males, with a more brown back and a more yellow belly.The song of this bird is plaintive and strident, standing out in the silence of the night in which they move and hunt, because they are nocturnal animals, although they produce a series of very different sounds , highlights the hiss they emit in situations where they are cornered or threatened.
White owl habitat
This species of owl inhabits all continents , except for Antarctica, being found in both warm and temperate climates.It is not found in desert areas, nor in jungles.In this way we can find white owls throughout the south of North America, South America, Europe, Africa, South Asia and Australia.
Although it is not the most common even some owls establish their homes in urban areas, it is common that build your nest in the bell towers of the churches, so in some places it is known as bell owl .It is also found in the open field, forests and wooded areas, places where it finds possible dams to feed on.
White owl feeding
The white owl is a carnivorous animal.Its main source of nutrients is the small rodents as mice, getting about three copies of them a day, although it also hunts other birds, insects, reptiles and even some amphibians, thus adapting to the resources available in the ecosystem in which you live.
These raptors are incredibly talkable hunting , based on their refined senses.Various studies have shown that owls are able to hunt without any light, using their sharp hearing, with which they are able to locate their target without the need to visualize it.Once they locate their prey, the white owl will pounce on it, seizing it with its strong claws without it being able to even feel it about, because they are silent yagile birds.
White owl reproduction
White owls breed based on the availability of resources in the middle , so if there is a high amount of them white owls can nest several times in the same year.consider yourself one of the most faithful animals to your partner, because they choose another individual as a reproductive couple for life.In addition, they are very protective and will not hesitate to face any kind of predator or danger in order to protect their own.
These birds do not build nests if they take advantage of holes or holes in human constructions or recesses that they find in nature, such as hollows in trees.performed independently of the weather and the time of year, usually consists of between 4 and 7 eggs , which are incubated for a period of 32 days.
When the chicks leave the shell these are taken care of only by their mother, because the male is responsible for providing them all with or for the whole offspring.Those offspring will be able to fly as soon as they reach a month and a half of age , but it won't be until they reach three months of age when they begin to become independent.
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