Barn owl

When: Year round, best seen at dawn and dusk

Scientific name: Tyto alba

Gaelic name: Comhachag

Size: 30 - 40 cm in length, wingspan 90cm

Where: Flying over fields and grassland, Kinneil foreshore and lagoons

Considered both a sign of wisdom and forbodng, the Barn owl is a distinctive yet often elusive resident of the Inner Forth. This bird can be best seen hunting over fields and along roadsides at dusk, displaying a beautiful flash of white amid the fading daylight.

Barn owls are very distinctive and easy to identify when seen. Their large, white, heart-shaped faces and peppered-brown feathers on the back set them well apart from most other owl species. Exceptional hearing and eyesight mean that these birds are highly successful predators, feeding on voles, mice and other small mammals found in fields and grassland. The structured feathers around the face help to collect sound, acting as a kind of aerial dish to help them locate their prey.

Owls have often been depicted in myth and folklore for as long as humans can recall. These days, most people associate owls with wisdom and intelligence; possibly something to do with their superior air when perched on a branch or post. In the past, however, barn owls were seen as a sign of impending doom - either in the form of death or poor luck. The eerie screech the barn owl makes perhaps gave it this misconception, sending shivers down the spine of passers by on a gloomy twilight walk across a field.

Unfortunatley, barn owls have faced a decline in numbers due to the use of agricultural pesticides over the last 60 years. There are now many incentives across the UK aiming to support the survival of this much loved bird. For more information about barn owls or to find out how you can help protect them, visit https://www.barnowltrust.org.uk/barn-owl-facts/