About Barn Owls
Male barn owls can be 14-19 ounces and females 17-25 ounces. The average height for barn owls is 13-15 inches, with a wingspan of 3.5 feet.
Owls are warm-blooded (like mammals). Their bodies are covered with feathers. They have two types of feathers, small down feathers and larger exterior feathers. The down feathers are closer to their body and help them to stay warm. The exterior feathers help with temperature regulation, camouflage and flying.
The bones of all owls are filled with lots of tiny air pockets making them very lightweight, which allows them to fly.
Barn owls are monogamous. They mate for life but hunt alone. Females will start to nest between mid-March and mid-April and mate from April to early May. They may mate again in the same year if conditions are favorable. They do not build nests but lay their eggs in dark spaces, usually in a tree cavity, and surround the eggs with pellets. They will nest in barns, silos and old buildings if a tree cavity is not available.
Barn Owl at the Akron Zoo
The barn owls are located in the Gardner’s Shed near the entrance of Lehner Family Zoo Gardens.
- Athena – female, born 2010