Barn owl

Barn owl

A pale hunter of the night

תנשמת לבנהTyto alba

The barn owl is a pale, heart-faced owl that hunts silently over fields at night. It eats mostly mice and voles, and it is a valuable ally to farmers. In Israel, farmers have set up thousands of nest boxes across fields and orchards to attract barn owls and reduce chemical poisons for pest control. The program is one of the best-known examples of biological pest control in the world. Barn owls also nest in old buildings and cliffs. They are often heard as a harsh hiss.

Glossary: Barn owl