Barn Owl vs Great Horned Owl
Tyto alba comparé à Bubo virginianus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Barn Owl | Great Horned Owl |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Tyto alba | Bubo virginianus |
| Ordre | Strigiformes | Strigiformes |
| Famille | Tytonidae | Strigidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 35,0 cm (13.8 in) | 55,0 cm (21.7 in) |
| Envergure | 90,0 cm (35.4 in) | 127,0 cm (50.0 in) |
| Poids | 350,0 g (12.35 oz) | 1400,0 g (49.38 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Almost exclusively small mammals, especially voles and mice. Hunts using extraordinary hearing to locate prey … | Extremely diverse — mammals (rabbits, skunks, rodents), birds (including other raptors), reptiles, amphibians, and fish. … |
| Taille de la couvée | 2-16 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Habitats partagés
Barn Owl only
Great Horned Owl only
Barn Owl
Open farmland, grasslands, and marshes. Nests in barns, church steeples, tree cavities, and purpose-built nest boxes.
Great Horned Owl
Diverse habitats including forests, deserts, swamps, urban parks, and suburban areas. Nests in tree hollows, cliff ledges, and abandoned nests of other large birds.
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.
Great Horned Owl
Deep, resonant 'who-who-who-who-ooo': the classic 'hoo-h'HOO-hoo-hoo' territorial duet of a mated pair. Booms at dusk. Female pitch slightly higher than male.
Geographic Range & Migration
Barn Owl
The most widespread owl and one of the most widespread land birds, found on every continent except Antarctica.
Great Horned Owl
North and South America from subarctic Canada to Tierra del Fuego. One of the most widespread owls in the Americas.
Statut de conservation
Barn Owl
Great Horned Owl
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
Great Horned Owl
Mottled grey-brown plumage with heavy dark barring. Prominent ear tufts, yellow eyes, and a white throat patch give a fierce expression.
Dark grey-black hooked bill almost hidden by facial disc feathers
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.
Great Horned Owl
The great horned owl is the most powerful and widespread owl in the Americas, earning the nickname tiger of the sky. It is one of the earliest nesting birds, often laying eggs in January when snow still covers the ground. Great horned owls are fierce predators, regularly taking prey up to three times their own weight.