Conserving and restoring at risk species and ecosystems on the BC South Coast
Barn Owl
Tyto alba
The only member in BC of the family Tytonidaea (“barn owls”) and genus Tyto, this species is one of the most widely distributed globally but has limited distribution in BC. The scientific name literally means “white owl”. Of all the owl species it may have the greatest number of common name variations including Demon Owl, Monkey-faced Owl, Hissing Owl, Hobgoblin or Hobby Owl.
COSEWIC: Threatened, BC List: Blue
A slender owl with tawny to golden-brown dorsal plumage with varying amounts of gray. Breast and belly plumage ranges from white to buff and is sparsely to heavily speckled with small black spots. The head lacks ear tufts and has relatively small dark eyes and a distinctive heart-shaped, white to buff facial disk. The legs are long and sparsely feathered, wings long and rounded with a short rounded tail. As with many raptors, sexes differ with females being larger and heavier. As well females are darker, and more heavily speckled than males. Owlets are covered in fluffy snow-white down which becomes similar to adult plumage as they mature.
RESOURCES
For further information see:
A sources for authoritative conservation information on thousands of plants and animals and hundreds of ecological communities in BC.
A joint venture resource providing comprehensive information on a range of species and ecological communities specific to the Coast Region of BC (including the South, Central and North Coast, Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii).
Environmental guidelines for urban and rural land development in BC.
Learn what species are at risk in your area, search by name, habitat type, regional district and forest district.
A volunteer-driven GIS-based biogeoclimatic atlas of the wildlife of BC.
Source for status, taxonomy, distribution and life history information for plants, animals and ecological communities in the US and Canada.
The source for news, information and documents related to species at risk, their status and conservation in Canada.
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