Barn owls have over 30 subspecies and, with a few exceptions, they are distributed world-wide. The barn owls which live further north in Europe are a darker shade than the race found in the UK. Barn owls do not hoot, instead they emit a long, eerie screech (its alternative name is the screech owl). They also hiss, snore and yap. As well as rodents, they eat other small mammals, such as young rabbits and moles, and they also catch frogs and small birds.

Did you know?
Barn owls have exceptional hearing and can find prey by sound alone.


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