Ethereal being of grace and wonder

Barn owl | Tyto alba

Ethereal being. Grace and wonder. Soaring over frozen grass at dusk, quieter than silence, weaving your invisible trail of absorbed sound.

Tyto alba, the barn owl. Tyto means owl, alba means white.

Of all the owls that call the United Kingdom home, the pale brown and white barn owl is both magical and the easiest to spot. Especially in leaden winter when its size and colour contrast against its surroundings at dawn and dusk.

With plant life at its lowest height of the year in winter, and food scarce, barn owls can be spotted with ease around any farmland up and down the country at this time. Although predominantly crepuscular, which means active at dawn and dusk, I’ve seen barn owls in the north and south hunting as much in the day, at anytime of year.

True to their name, barn owls roost in barns and derelict buildings, nesting in them in spring and summer. Forming pairs that look after a brood of up to 4 - 6 owlets.

Barn owls are predators, hunting other animals for food. According t…