Both the barred owl and the barn owl are medium to large owls found in North America. They belong to different genera, with barred owls in the genus Strix and barn owls in the genus Tyto. There are some notable differences between these two types of owls when it comes to their size and appearance.
Barred Owl Size
The barred owl (Strix varia) is a large owl native to North America. It goes by several other common names including hoot owl, eight hooter, and striped owl. Barred owls have a total length of 16-25 inches (40-63 cm) and a wingspan of 37-49 inches (94-125 cm). Their weight ranges from 1.1 to 2.3 pounds (0.5 to 1.0 kg).
Here are the typical measurements for adult barred owls:
| Measurement | Size |
|---|---|
| Total length | 16-25 in (40-63 cm) |
| Wingspan | 37-49 in (94-125 cm) |
| Weight | 1.1-2.3 lb (0.5-1.0 kg) |
The barred owl has a large, round head with no ear tufts and dark brown eyes. Its upper body is mottled gray-brown with vertical brown and white barring on the chest. The head is marked by prominent dark brown vertical barring. The underparts are light with brown streaks forming horizontal bars. The barred owl gets its common name from these distinctive bars.
The wings and tail are barred brown and white. The legs and circular facial disc are gray. Barred owls have chunky bodies with broad wings and a short tail. The size and powerful talons make them effective predators.
Barn Owl Size
The barn owl (Tyto alba) is one of the most widespread owl species, found on every continent except Antarctica. It goes by many other names including common barn owl, silver owl, ghost owl, death owl, night owl, rat owl, church owl, and delicate owl.
Barn owls are medium-sized, with a total length of 12-20 inches (30-50 cm) and a wingspan of 33-43 inches (80-110 cm). They weigh about 14-24 ounces (400-700 grams). Here are the typical size statistics for barn owls:
| Measurement | Size |
|---|---|
| Total length | 12-20 in (30-50 cm) |
| Wingspan | 33-43 in (80-110 cm) |
| Weight | 14-24 oz (400-700 g) |
The barn owl has a distinctive heart-shaped facial disk, small beak, and long legs. The feathers are usually a mix of golden-rust and silver-gray above and pale with dark speckles below. The heart-shaped face acts as a satellite dish to direct sound toward the ears. The barn owl’s underparts are typically lighter, while the upperparts range from grayish to reddish-brown with some spotting.
In addition to the heart-shaped face, key identifying features include the overall light coloring, dark eyes, and golden buff color on the back. Their bodies are slender with long wings compared to their overall size. The barn owl is sometimes called the monkey-faced owl due to its odd facial disk shape.
Comparing Barred Owl and Barn Owl Sizes
When compared side by side, it is clear that the barred owl is significantly larger than the barn owl:
| Measurement | Barred Owl Size | Barn Owl Size |
|---|---|---|
| Total Length | 16-25 in (40-63 cm) | 12-20 in (30-50 cm) |
| Wingspan | 37-49 in (94-125 cm) | 33-43 in (80-110 cm) |
| Weight | 1.1-2.3 lb (0.5-1.0 kg) | 14-24 oz (400-700 g) |
The barred owl is 25-100% longer than the barn owl, with total lengths of 16-25 inches compared to 12-20 inches. It is also around 10% larger in wingspan at 37-49 inches versus 33-43 inches for the barn owl. But the biggest size difference is in weight – the heavier barred owl is nearly 2-5 times the weight of the petite barn owl.
Male vs Female Size
There is some degree of sexual dimorphism in both owl species, meaning size differences between males and females of the same species.
Barred Owl
Male barred owls are typically larger than females:
| Measurement | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Total Length | 19-25 in (48-63 cm) | 16-24 in (40-60 cm) |
| Wingspan | 42-49 in (106-124 cm) | 37-44 in (94-112 cm) |
| Weight | 1.5-2.3 lb (0.7-1.0 kg) | 1.1-1.9 lb (0.5-0.9 kg) |
The male barred owl is around 5% longer than the female. Wingspans overlap a bit but males still average 3-10% longer wings. Male barred owls weigh 25-35% more than females.
Barn Owl
As with barred owls, male barn owls tend to be marginally bigger than females:
| Measurement | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Total Length | 15-20 in (38-51 cm) | 12-18 in (30-46 cm) |
| Wingspan | 39-43 in (99-109 cm) | 33-37 in (84-94 cm) |
| Weight | 16-24 oz (450-680 g) | 14-21 oz (400-595 g) |
Male barn owls average around 15% longer in total body length. They have wingspans 5-15% greater than females. And males may be up to 20% heavier than female barn owls.
Species Comparison
Beyond the obvious size differences, there are other physical and behavioral distinctions between barred owls and barn owls:
Appearance
- Barred owls have chunky bodies; barn owls have a leaner, more lightweight frame.
- Barred owls are mottled grays and browns; barn owls are often pale gray, tawny, or golden buff.
- Barred owls have brown eyes while barn owls have black eyes.
- Barred owls lack ear tufts but have distinct barring on the chest and face. Barn owls have heart-shaped facial disks and no ear tufts.
Habitat and Range
- Barred owls inhabit dense woodlands across North America.
- Barn owls occupy more open habitats like grasslands, marshes, and agricultural areas nearly worldwide.
- Barred owls have a more limited range restricted to the Americas.
Hunting and Diet
- Barred owls hunt from perches in trees, feeding on small mammals and birds.
- Barn owls hunt on the wing, employings their acute hearing to find small rodents and other prey.
- Barred owls are somewhat less specialized hunters, also taking fish, frogs, insects and other prey.
Activity Pattern
- Barred owls are mostly nocturnal but can be active during the day.
- Barn owls are strictly nocturnal hunters.
Why the Size Difference?
What accounts for the barred owl being so much larger than the barn owl? There are a few possible explanations:
- Different hunting styles – Barn owls hunt on the wing requiring a lighter body, while the more sedentary perch-hunting of barred owls allows a heavier build.
- Prey size – Barred owls take larger prey on average like rabbits, squirrels and small birds requiring greater size and power.
- Climate – Barn owls have a cosmopolitan range and smaller size helps retain heat. The larger barred owl is found in more northern climes.
- Habitat – The closed forest environment of barred owls favors improved visual and auditory senses gained from larger size.
Ultimately, the size differences help each species exploit their preferred habitat and prey types more efficiently. The barred owl’s larger size gives it greater strength to capture mammals and birds, while the barn owl’s petite build allows superb aerial maneuvering to catch small rodents.
Conclusion
In comparing the barred owl and barn owl, the barred owl is clearly the larger species by a significant margin. Barred owls are about 25-100% longer in total body length, have 10% greater wingspans, and weigh 2-5 times as much as barn owls on average. The size dimorphism results from differences in hunting styles, habitats, prey preference, and geographic ranges between these two owl species. The barred owl’s bulky size provides power to subdue larger prey, while the barn owl’s nimble frame allows agile flight for catching small mammals and rodents.
