Barn owl
Appearance
The barn owls (Tyto species, particularly Tyto alba) are the most widely distributed group of owls in the world. They are medium-sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long, strong legs with powerful talons. The term may be used to describe:
- The whole family Tytonidae, though this also includes the bay owls in the genus Phodilus
- Tyto, the largest genus of birds in Tytonidae, and particularly these species in that genus:
- Western barn owl Tyto alba, formerly called common barn owl when considered conspecific with the next two species
- American barn owl Tyto furcata, from the Americas
- Eastern barn owl Tyto javanica, from southeast Asia and Australasia
- Andaman masked owl Tyto deroepstorffi endemic to the southern Andaman Islands
- New Caledonian barn owl Tyto letocarti, extinct, from the island of New Caledonia in Melanesia
- Tyto, the largest genus of birds in Tytonidae, and particularly these species in that genus: