Other owls in the barn owl family include sooty owls, masked owls, and grass owls. The main difference between true owls and barn owls is their physical appearance barn owls have heart-shaped facial discs, dark eyes, and no ear tufts, whereas true owls have round facial discs, yellow or orange eyes, and many species have ear tufts.

Somewhat confusingly, Tylo alba is part of a larger family of owl also called barn owls (Tytonidae family). Tyto is from the onomatopoeic Ancient Greek tyto for an owl, so T yto alba can be directly translated as ‘white owl’. Scopoli gave the barn owl the scientific name Strix alba, strix referring to a mythical owl-like creature believed to feed on human flesh and suck the blood of babies, and alba the Latin for ‘white’.Īs more species of owls were described Strix began to be used solely for the typical owls, or true owls (Strigidae family), and the barn owl was given the new scientific name Tyto alba. The earliest examples of buildings equivalent to modern-day barns were developed in at least the 12th century. Others suggested that it was called by its scientific name Tyto alba, a good guess but incorrect as barn owls were first described in 1769 by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, the Tyrolean physician and naturalist in his Anni Historico-Naturales, well after the invention of barns. Some even claimed that barns were named after the owl, which makes perfect sense to us. Teat, Dave, Steve and plain old Owl were popular choices as were Homeless and Barnless. From the stunning photographs by some very talented people to the lovely stories about helping birds that visit their gardens the members are (mostly) a very friendly bunch of bird lovers.Įvery now and again though a post pops up that gives everyone a good laugh and so it was when some wag posted the age-old question, “ What was the barn owl called before barns were invented?“ Our Facebook group is a never-ending source of delight.

Not an early bird or a night owl meme