Habitat Requirements

Habitat Requirements

Barn owls are flexible in their habitat requirements. Prey availability, seasonality in temperate regions and competition are the most important limiting factors. Barn owls are well suited to life among humans. They prefer areas which are open but not treeless, lowlands, especially farmland with hedges, ditches, ponds and banks, and some rough grass or herbage, roadside verges and similar rough terrain where mice and other prey can be hunted in low flight. (Cramp, 1985) The barn owl is more closely associated with man and his buildings than other owls, and is frequently found around small groups of buildings. Preferably without too much disturbance, where it can find the shady or dark corners it needs for daytime roosts and for nesting sites. (Read and Allsop, 1994)