Barn Owl vs Eurasian Magpie
Tyto alba compared with Pica pica
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Barn Owl | Eurasian Magpie |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tyto alba | Pica pica |
| Order | Strigiformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Tytonidae | Corvidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 35.0 cm (13.8 in) | 46.0 cm (18.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | 56.0 cm (22.0 in) |
| Weight | 350.0 g (12.35 oz) | 220.0 g (7.76 oz) |
| Diet | Almost exclusively small mammals, especially voles and mice. Hunts using extraordinary hearing to locate prey … | Omnivorous — insects, grains, berries, carrion, eggs, and nestlings. Caches surplus food for later retrieval. |
| Clutch Size | 2-16 | 2-8 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Barn Owl only
Eurasian Magpie only
None
Barn Owl
Open farmland, grasslands, and marshes. Nests in barns, church steeples, tree cavities, and purpose-built nest boxes.
Eurasian Magpie
Open woodland, farmland, hedgerows, parks, and gardens. Common in suburban and urban environments across Eurasia.
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.
Eurasian Magpie
A harsh, rapid chattering 'chach-chach-chach'. Also gives a variety of whistles and clucking notes. Known to mimic other birds and sounds. Very vocal in pairs.
Geographic Range & Migration
Barn Owl
The most widespread owl and one of the most widespread land birds, found on every continent except Antarctica.
Eurasian Magpie
Europe, Asia, and northwest Africa. One of the most recognizable birds across the Palearctic region.
Conservation Status
Barn Owl
Eurasian Magpie
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
Eurasian Magpie
Bold black and white pattern with iridescent blue-green gloss on the wings and long graduated tail. White scapulars and flanks contrast with the black body.
Strong, straight black 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.
Eurasian Magpie
The Eurasian magpie is one of the most intelligent animals on Earth and the first non-mammal demonstrated to recognize itself in a mirror. These bold corvids build elaborate domed nests of sticks and have a well-known attraction to shiny objects, though this reputation may be exaggerated.