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Medium-sized owl with a heart-shaped facial disc and deep dark eyes.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilyBarn-Owls
SizeLarge
RarityCommon
HabitatTimbered edges, open forest, suburban gardens with mature trees, and lightly wooded scrub.
Best timeMost reliable in New South Wales from August to September.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Jue Lei
Range map
Range map
4684visible hotspots
22202visible records
5states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Varies somewhat across a wide range, but always note white-and-black speckling on the upperparts, beautiful gray-and-tawny wings, and large round head with ghostly white facial disc. Compared with various other masked-owls and grass-owls that overlap in range, Eastern Barn generally has a brighter white face. Gives a bone-chilling, rising shriek, as well as shorter rasping calls.
Behavior
Hunts in open areas by night, foraging with a slow and buoyant flight. Roosts in old buildings, tree hollows, caves, and nest boxes by day.
Gallery