Barn Owl vs Cockatiel
Tyto alba compared with Nymphicus hollandicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Barn Owl | Cockatiel |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tyto alba | Nymphicus hollandicus |
| Order | Strigiformes | Psittaciformes |
| Family | Tytonidae | Cacatuidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 35.0 cm (13.8 in) | 32.0 cm (12.6 in) |
| Wingspan | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | 40.0 cm (15.7 in) |
| Weight | 350.0 g (12.35 oz) | 90.0 g (3.17 oz) |
| Diet | Almost exclusively small mammals, especially voles and mice. Hunts using extraordinary hearing to locate prey … | Seeds, grain, berries, and plant material. Forages on the ground in open areas. In captivity, … |
| Clutch Size | 2-16 | 1-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Barn Owl
Open farmland, grasslands, and marshes. Nests in barns, church steeples, tree cavities, and purpose-built nest boxes.
Cockatiel
Open arid and semi-arid habitats including scrubland, farmland, and woodland near water in Australia.
Song & Call Comparison
Barn Owl
An eerie, drawn-out rasping shriek 'shreeeeee' — not a hoot. Also gives hissing, snoring, and bill-snapping when disturbed. Chicks call with a persistent rasping hunger call.
Cockatiel
A loud, whistled 'weet' or 'weeeet'. Males whistle a melodic series; contact call is a high nasal 'ny'. Capable of mimicry in captivity. Song is relatively simple but pleasant.
Geographic Range & Migration
Barn Owl
The most widespread owl and one of the most widespread land birds, found on every continent except Antarctica.
Cockatiel
Interior of Australia, generally avoiding coastal areas. The second most popular pet bird worldwide.
Conservation Status
Barn Owl
Cockatiel
How to Tell Them Apart
Barn Owl
Pale golden-buff upperparts with delicate grey mottling. Pure white heart-shaped face and white to pale buff underparts. Ghostly white appearance in flight.
Pale pinkish hooked bill nearly concealed by the facial disc
Cockatiel
Wild-type males are grey with white wing patches, a yellow face, and bright orange cheek patches. Females are duller with barred tail undersides. Many captive color mutations exist.
Short, curved, grey bill
About These Birds
Barn Owl
The barn owl has the most asymmetrical ears of any owl, giving it the finest auditory localization ability in the animal kingdom. It can catch prey in complete darkness using sound alone. The barn owl's distinctive heart-shaped face acts as a parabolic dish, funneling sound to its offset ears.
Cockatiel
The cockatiel is the smallest member of the cockatoo family and one of the most popular pet birds globally. These gentle, intelligent parrots can learn to whistle tunes and mimic sounds. Wild cockatiels are nomadic, traveling in flocks following food and water availability across the Australian outback.