Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
The barn owl is medium sized owl with whitish plumage and a distinctive heart shaped facial ruff. There are many types of owl found in the world however, the barn owl is the most widely distributed species of owl and one of the most widely spread of all birds. Barn owls are also called common barn owls. Although the barn owl Alba is the most widely distributed land bird in the world, the white breasted Barn Owl Tyto alba is only found in Britain and Western Europe. It has 35 sub-species and many of them live in islands with very restricted distributions. However, Tyto alba or the barn owl in general is widely distributed across Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Africa and Australia. Figure one illustrates the population distribution of Barn Owl around the world. Barn owls are not found in Antarctica due to its extremely cold climate.
Extremely cold weather can lead to immediate catastrophic death of barn owls. However, the long term effect for such events on an ecological scale is unclear. Barn owls are intolerant to extremely cold climate. Barn owls feed on small mammals such as voles and mice. But in the cold these small mammals hide. Freezing conditions make finding food almost impossible so the birds starve to death. Unusually hard winters are thought to have contributed to their decline in the world, largely from places where winter is extreme and unfavorable to barn owl. In January 2011, numerous barn owls were found dead in America. The decline in the population of barn owls has been a serious issue throughout the world. The most prevalent member of this species in North America is the common barn owl. In the United States, its numbers have declined most heavily in the Northeast and some Mid-Western states.
However, this is just the beginning in the decline of the population of barn owls. As winter becomes colder and colder every year due to global warming, and as forests turn into settlement area, the rate of decline in the population of barn owl is sure to increase. Although the cold weather does not have direct effect on the barn owl, the snow makes it difficult to find food and in the long time, the barn owl dies.
The Barn owl plays an important role in the eco-system. It is ecologically important for natural rodent control. In addition to this, the barn owl performs a valuable service to agriculture. They help to control rodent and other pest and insect populations. According to one of the research works published on barn owls by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection's Wildlife Division, one single family of two adults and six young can consume more than 1,000 rodents during a typical three-month nesting period. Because of this, barn owls have a significant role in agricultural industry.
It has been found that in the agricultural areas of southern Florida's Everglades, sugarcane farmers lose $30 million a year from rat damage. When a study was done on the barn owl's diet, the researchers came to a conclusion that as much as 90 percent of the predator's food consists of rodents, especially rats. Therefore, barn owls have an enormous significance in balancing the ecosystem and in the field of agricultural industry.
Although the common barn owl is not listed on the U.S. endangered species list, many states including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin have listed the barn owl as an endangered species. Studies in the United States, Britain, Canada, and other countries have found the substantial decline in the barn owl population. Despite the fact that loss of farm land due to development has been said to have wiped out the bird's favored nesting sites and habitats, change in climatic condition has helped to wipe out the barn owl even more.
Dramatic decline in the barn owl population has been reported in many countries in the recent years. British Columbia has the main population of barn owls in Canada. Official reports from Environment Canada estimated that the number of barn owls in the province had declined due to number of factors. The major factors include habitat loss, and environmental and climatic change.
There have been various measures taken to mitigate the situation and to raise the number of barn owls. Conservation areas are being established all around the globe and research is being done in England North America, South America, Canada and some other countries to find a result by which the declining barn owls can be raised in a healthier habitat.
Barn owls often use the same nesting sites year after year. In many areas, nesting boxes have been installed to help revive barn owl populations, and really good results have been reported.
In England, the Hawk and Owl Trust credits the installation of nesting boxes with helping to reduce the decline in the country's barn owl population.
There are some universities like Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology, which sponsors numerous projects to aid studies of the population and reproduction of owls and other declining bird species.
In conclusion, despite the fact that the total population of barn owl is declining in the world due to the destruction of barn owl’s habitat, and climatic and environmental changes; global actions are being taken to resolve the problem. Several nations such as Canada, the United States and Britain have started to take active participation in resolving the problem to raise the population of barn owls.
Works Cited
"Barn Owl, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology." Your Online Guide to Birds and Bird Watching, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Barn_Owl/id>.
"BBC Nature - Barn Owl Videos, News and Facts." BBC - Homepage. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Barn_Owl>.
"Conserving the Barn Owl and Its Environment." The Barn Owl Trust. Print.
Day, Richard. "The Illinois Barn Owl Recovery Plan." Editorial. State Wildlife Grant Program Nov. 2010. Web.
Cheng, K. M. "Breeding Biology of the Barn Owl (Tyto Alba) in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia." Web. <http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/gtr/gtr_nc190/gtr_nc190_038.pdf>.
"Farmers, Conservationists Seek Return of Barn Owls." Daily Nature and Science News and Headlines | National Geographic News. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/10/1030_021030_BarnOwls_2.html>.
"The Future of Barn Owls." World Owl Trust - Leading The World In Owl Conservation. Web. 12 Apr. 2011. <http://www.owls.org/Information/future.htm>.
