Eastern Barn Owl: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Owls and Night Birds · day 4 of 7

Five facts

1. Tiny saw-like edges at the front of its flight feathers and a soft fringe at the back break up the air, so it flies in near silence.
2. Its hearing is so sharp that it can find prey in total darkness. It does not need to see to hunt.
3. It brings no twigs to its nest. Instead the mother pulls in the furry bits of the pellets she coughs up, making a soft carpet for her chicks.
4. Newly hatched chicks make a chittering sound. Soon it turns into a hungry snore that tells their parents to bring food.
5. Now and then these owls cross the sea to New Zealand. In 2008 they were found nesting there for the first time.

The quiz

1. What helps the eastern barn owl fly so quietly?

• It only flies when it rains
• Saw-like edges and soft fringes on its feathers (correct)
• It never flaps its wings
• It flies very high up

Serrations and fringes on its flight feathers reduce turbulence and noise.

2. What does the eastern barn owl NOT need in order to hunt?

• Its ears
• Its talons
• Its wings
• Its sight (correct)

Its hearing is so good it can hunt without seeing.

3. What lines the nest by the time the chicks hatch?

• A carpet of shredded pellets (correct)
• Fresh green leaves
• Mud and pebbles
• Feathers from other birds

The mother draws in the furry material from her pellets.

4. What sound do hungry barn owl chicks make to ask for food?

• A loud hoot
• A whistle like a kettle
• A snore (correct)
• A bark

Their first chittering soon turns into a food-demanding snore.

5. When were eastern barn owls first found breeding in New Zealand?

• In 1788
• In 2008 (correct)
• In 1950
• They never have

They were first recorded breeding there in 2008.

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