Barn Owl vs Downy Woodpecker
Tyto alba comparé à Picoides pubescens
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Barn Owl | Downy Woodpecker |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Tyto alba | Picoides pubescens |
| Ordre | Strigiformes | Piciformes |
| Famille | Tytonidae | Picidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 35,0 cm (13.8 in) | 16,0 cm (6.3 in) |
| Envergure | 90,0 cm (35.4 in) | 28,0 cm (11.0 in) |
| Poids | 350,0 g (12.35 oz) | 27,0 g (0.95 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Almost exclusively small mammals, especially voles and mice. Hunts using extraordinary hearing to locate prey … | Insects and larvae extracted from bark, supplemented with seeds, berries, and suet at feeders. Often … |
| Taille de la couvée | 2-16 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Habitats partagés
Aucun(e)
Barn Owl only
Downy Woodpecker only
Aucun(e)
Barn Owl
Open farmland, grasslands, and marshes. Nests in barns, church steeples, tree cavities, and purpose-built nest boxes.
Downy Woodpecker
Deciduous and mixed forests, orchards, parks, and suburban areas. The most common woodpecker at feeders in North America.
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.
Downy Woodpecker
A sharp 'pik' or 'peek' contact call. Drums on resonant branches with a rapid, light tattoo — softer than larger woodpeckers. Also gives a high descending whinny 'keeer-keeer'.
Geographic Range & Migration
Barn Owl
The most widespread owl and one of the most widespread land birds, found on every continent except Antarctica.
Downy Woodpecker
North America from Alaska and Canada south through the United States, excluding the arid Southwest.
Statut de conservation
Barn Owl
Downy Woodpecker
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
Downy Woodpecker
Black and white plumage with a broad white stripe down the back. Black wings with white spots. Males have a small red patch on the nape.
Short, chisel-shaped, dark bill — noticeably shorter than the similar hairy woodpecker
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.
Downy Woodpecker
The downy woodpecker is the smallest and most widespread woodpecker in North America. Its small size allows it to forage on thin branches and weed stems that larger woodpeckers cannot access. Downies often join mixed-species flocks in winter, benefiting from the extra vigilance of multiple species watching for predators.