Barn owls are mysterious, beautiful birds that have captivated humans for millennia. One of the most intriguing aspects of barn owls is their vocalizations. Barn owls do not sing like songbirds, but they have a wide array of calls that they use to communicate.
Barn Owl Calls
Barn owls have over 25 different vocalizations that have been identified by researchers. These vocalizations serve different functions, allowing barn owls to communicate with each other in various situations.
Some of the main barn owl calls include:
- Alarm call – A harsh “sshreesshree” given when disturbed
- Begging call – A rasping “snorrrt” made by chicks begging for food
- Male advertising call – A drawn-out screech given by males during courtship
- Female contact call – A sharp “kee-yak” used by females to advertise nest sites
- Nest defense call – Loud hisses and snaps used to ward off intruders
The variety of vocalizations allows barn owls to effectively communicate information about food, nest sites, intruders, and more. But do barn owls have a specific mating or courtship call?
Do Barn Owls Have a Mating Call?
Research indicates that male barn owls do indeed have a distinctive call that serves to attract females for mating. This call is known as their advertising call.
The advertising call is a loud, drawn-out screech that has been described as sounding like a “prolonged shriek” or “blood-curdling scream.” It is given by male barn owls primarily during the breeding season to advertise their nest sites and attract unmated females.
Here are some key features of the barn owl’s advertising call:
- Made only by males
- Given most frequently in late winter/early spring during breeding season
- Can last 2-6 seconds, one of the owl’s longest vocalizations
- Very high-pitched and loud, can be heard up to a mile away
- Thought to help females evaluate male fitness as a mate
When a female barn owl hears the advertising call of a male, she may approach him and inspect his nest site. If she deems it an acceptable site with a fit male, mating will occur.
So in summary, the male barn owl’s advertising call does serve as a courtship and mating call. It is one of the most important vocalizations for attracting mates and facilitating breeding in this species.
What Does the Advertising Call Sound Like?
The male barn owl’s advertising call is a very distinct, drawn out, eerie shriek. It can last from 2-6 seconds and consists of 6-18 individual screech elements. The call rises and falls in pitch, but stays fairly high, around 7,500 Hz at its peak. It can be very loud, reaching up to 84-94 dB in volume.
Some key words used to describe the sound of the advertising call include:
- Screeching
- Shrieking
- Screaming
- Wailing
- Eerie
- Blood-curdling
- Nerve-wracking
Here is a video with audio samples of the barn owl advertising call so you can hear it for yourself:
When and Why Do Males Give the Advertising Call?
Male barn owls begin using their advertising call in late winter or early spring, which coincides with the start of breeding season. Calling activity peaks between February and April in most regions.
Males give the advertising call most frequently at dawn and dusk when females are likely to be seeking nest sites. However, they may call sporadically throughout the night as well.
The main reasons males give the advertising call are:
- Attract unmated females to inspect their nest as a potential site
- Warn rival males away from their territory
- Indicate fitness to females as a mate
In a single night, a male may give the call hundreds of times. This repetitive calling is key to ensuring it is heard by females across a wide area. The male continues calling until a female is attracted or the breeding season ends.
How Do Females Respond?
When a female barn owl hears the advertising call of a male, she may utter a contact call and fly toward the sound to investigate further. She then evaluates the male and his nest site:
- Is the nest box or cavity sufficiently protected and sheltered?
- Is there adequate space for laying and incubating eggs?
- Is there enough food available nearby?
- Is the male a large, healthy individual indicating good genes?
If the nest and male meet the female’s approval, she will stay and mating will commence. If not, she will search for a more suitable mate.
Receptive females may return to a desirable nest repeatedly over several nights. Once mated, the female will begin laying eggs and take over ownership of the nest.
What If the Male Doesn’t Find a Mate?
Even with vigorous advertising call displays, male barn owls do not always succeed in attracting a mate each breeding season.
If a male fails to mate, he may continue giving advertising calls sporadically at night throughout the summer. This indicates he is still available and willing to mate if an unmated female happens to hear him.
Barn owls can breed as late as September if the conditions are still favorable. So a male may still have a chance at mating until the weather turns cold and prey becomes scarce in late fall.
Conclusion
The eerie, screeching call of the male barn owl is a key part of their intricate courtship rituals. This advertising call allows males to broadcast their availability and fitness across long distances in hopes of enticing a female. When the call achieves its purpose and a mate is secured, the two birds bond and get straight to the business of raising a new brood of hungry owlets. So next time you hear a bone-chilling shriek in the night, it just may be a male barn owl advertising for love!