Barn Owls

a clever bird

Barn owls are named for their historical habit of nesting in barns and other farm outbuildings. However, the connection between barn owls and actual barns is more incidental than fundamental to the species. Barn owls naturally nest in cavities like tree hollows or crevices in cliffs and caves. As humans began putting up barns, silos, and other agricultural buildings with cavities, barn owls started nesting in these man-made structures since they mimicked their natural nesting sites.

Its connection to agricultural buildings like barns is most distinct in North America and Europe where agriculture led to an abundance of barns. It's the usage of barns that earned them their English common name.

Where’s the Barn?