The barn owl is known for its distinctive screeching or hissing sound. This medium-sized owl species has a worldwide distribution and can be found in many habitats including barns, where its name originates from. Barn owls are nocturnal hunters and their sounds are often heard at night as they communicate with potential mates or ward off intruders.
Description of the Barn Owl’s Call
The most common sound made by barn owls is a long, drawn-out screech or hiss. This call is often described as sounding like a shriek or scream. The screeching sound is produced through the owl’s mouth and beak when air is forced through its vocal cords and over its tongue. The pitch and duration of the screech can vary based on the age, sex, and intent of the owl.
Male barn owls produce a lower-pitched version of the hiss during breeding season to attract females. Females respond with a higher-pitched screech. Young owlets also make a hissing sound when begging for food from their parents. The alarm call, given when owls feel threatened, is a harsh scream that rises and falls in pitch.
To human ears, the barn owl’s eerie, raspy screams often sound disturbing or frightening. Ornithologists describe the quality of the sound as “tinny,” “hoarse,” and “rasping.” The screeches have an otherworldly tone that reflects the owl’s nocturnal nature.
Purpose of Vocalizations
Barn owls do not make sounds only for communication purposes. The screeches also play an important role in the owl’s ability to locate prey in the dark. As the owl hunts by night, its asymmetrical ears and dish-shaped face help to funnel sound to the ears. The owl can identify the location of rustling caused by a mouse or other small animal moving through vegetation or on the ground.
Studies have shown that barn owls can detect prey up to 75 feet away through sound alone. The owl’s hearing is so acute that it can even identify the species of rodent based on the sound of its movements. The owl’s screeching also startles and disorients prey, making them easier to catch.
Adaptations for Night Hunting
In addition to highly-adapted hearing, barn owls possess other specializations that aid their ability to hunt in darkness:
- Exceptionally light-sensitive eyes to see in low light conditions
- Heart-shaped face collects soundwaves towards ears
- Asymmetrical ear placement fine tunes ability to pinpoint prey location
- Soft feather edges for silent flight when swooping down on prey
These adaptations allow the barn owl to be a highly effective nocturnal predator. The owl’s eerie screeching often signals the demise of rats, mice, voles, and other small mammals that comprise the bulk of its diet.
Reaction of Prey to Barn Owl Screams
The barn owl’s prey species like mice and voles have learned to fear the owl’s characteristic hissing scream. Laboratory studies have shown that rodents exhibit signs of panic and stress when exposed to recordings of barn owl vocalizations. The rodents freeze in place, display alarm behaviors, and experience elevated heart rates.
This demonstrates an evolutionary adaptation; rodent species that panic at the sound of an owl have higher chances of survival compared to those unaware of the threat. The barn owl’s far-reaching screech serves as an advanced warning system for potential prey.
Seasonal and Geographic Variation
The call of the barn owl varies somewhat based on the time of year and geographic location. During breeding season, the frequency and duration of screeching increases as owls try to attract mates. Nesting owls are also more vocal as they communicate with their young. Barn owls native to Europe produce pulses of short screeches, while those in America give longer screams.
There is also evidence that barn owls can adapt their vocalizations based on background noise in their habitat. Urban owls use higher frequency calls that carry better over loud ambient city sounds like traffic.
Can Humans Understand Barn Owl Screeches?
While the array of hisses, rasps, and screams produced by barn owls may all sound alike to human ears, ornithologists have identified distinct meanings in some calls based on context:
- Low, drawn-out screech – advertising call of male attracting female
- High-pitched scream – female responding to male advance
- Harsh, grating hiss – alarm/warning of intruder
- Shrill shriek repeated – nesting female begging for food from male
- Soft chirping – communication between mother and owlets
So while we can’t decode the complexity of barn owl language, patterns of sound and behavior provide clues to some of the specific messages being conveyed.
Comparison to Calls of Other Owl Species
The eerie, raspy screams of the barn owl are unique and do not closely resemble the hoots of typical owl species like the great horned or barred owl. However, other owl varieties that hunt by listening for prey also use vocalizations to startle targets. These include:
- Eastern screech owl – whinny, trill
- Northern saw-whet owl – harsh ksew call
- Long-eared owl – screechy bark
The sounds of these species are derived from adaptations for nocturnal hunting similar to the barn owl. The calls share a grating, frightening quality designed to shock and disorient rodent prey. While these owls produce unique sound patterns, they share the barn owl’s reliance on eerie vocalizations to aid night hunting.
Conclusion
With its distinctive hisses, screeches, and shrieks, the barn owl surely stands out for its unique and unnerving vocalizations. These calls play an important role in communication, prey location, and hunting success for this nocturnal raptor. The raspy, eerie quality alerts prey while helping the owl pinpoint movements in darkness. While fascinating, the barn owl’s screams retain an element of mystery and the owl’s full range of language remains indecipherable to human ears.
Barn Owl Screech Audio Clips
Here are some sample audio clips so you can hear the barn owl’s creepy screech for yourself:
Barn Owl Screeching in Alarm
Barn Owl Begging Calls
Comparison of Barn Owl Screeches to Other Owls
Owl Species | Call Description | Audio Clip |
---|---|---|
Barn Owl | Drawn-out raspy screech | |
Great Horned Owl | Low hooting | |
Eastern Screech Owl | Whinny/trill |