Facts

     We chose to research Tyto alba because it is a very common bird. We would be more likely to have the chance to see it in real life. We felt that others would share our interest in this owl because they too may be able to see it, and there are so many surprising facts about it. The young darker-colored Tyto alba have been know to share food with its siblings sometimes as many as two times per night. This behavior is probably performed in hopes that the other siblings will return the favor. At the same time the lighter-colored young are more likely to steal from its siblings a majority of time.
    The attention of the parents is very important to the young birds, so much so that some will kill off their brethren in aspirations that they will get more attention and more food. [Roulin et al. , 2012]
    Tyto alba also does not always behave like an owl. If it is standing on the ground and it sees a mouse it will scurry after it as though it is a cat. [Konishi, 2012]
    Barn Owls also seem to have an intricate communication system and at first it was thought that they did not ‘hoot’. Mates appear to screech to each other to show their bond and young owls quickly learn which call to use when hungry and which to use for terror. [Bunn, 1982]
    There are many interesting pieces of folklore surrounding Barn Owls; many depict them in a cloud of evil. For example there is an old story that they can transform into witches and they go into children’s rooms at night and suck their blood. In ancient Rome owls would be nailed alive to the front doors of houses. It was believed that this help would keep the evil spirits away.  Many English poets and writers used the high-pitched scream of Tyto alba as a sign of impending doom and death.  But every now and then the Barn Owl is portrayed in a positive light. In a handful of stories it is shown to have great wisdom.  [Bunn, 1982]
    Another intriguing fact is that Tyto alba is thought to have been around since the Pleistocene period (which is about 11,700 years ago), and fossils have been found in numerous countries. [Taylor, 1994]
    The Tyto alba has interesting relatives. Tyto alba cousins have a much more acidic stomach and are able to digest more of the bones of animals which allows it to use its resources better. [Taylor, 1994] None of the other 36 subspecies of the Barn Owl are as well know as Tyto alba and there is limited knowledge on those living in many regions of Austral and Asia. Not all in the genus like to live in barns. T. longimembris likes to live in tall grass. It uses straw to make a nest and has kind of tunnel system running though the surrounding grasses.  [Taylor, 1994]

 

 

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