Anyone Know anything about Barn Owls ?

[BADGER.BRAD]

We are quite used to wildlife around our house, Foxes ,Badgers, wood peckers various birds of prey and have heard Owls at night but last night I was woken at about 3am by a screeching sound I have never heard before. One was close by and one further away and seemed to be calling to each other , I looked out the window but could not see anything ( is is very dark by me) so I took the torch out a shone it around and into the Oak trees at the front of my house to my shock I saw a Barn Owl no further that 30 feet away , It just looked at me and carried on calling. My question is what would this calling have been ? Do they have long term mates that may be were calling to each other ? or would this have been some kind of territory thing ?

 

[Tigger.ufo]

Male looking for a mate probably.

 

[billy nomates]

Barn owls tend to be a bit hissy with their calls. Barny calls
We've got loads of Tawny Owls calling very close by, they do the classic kawit tawoo calls, male and female tawny calls

 

[Tigger.ufo]

Barn owls tend to be a bit hissy with their calls. Barny calls
We've got loads of Tawny Owls calling very close by, they do the classic kawit tawoo calls, male and female tawny calls

Not called screech owls for nothing!

 

[Cartus]

I dunno about barn owls but I saw the much more common teet owl in our kitchen this evening

 

[Tom Pinchenzo]

Yeah, barn owls have an amazing screeching call - also a creepy hissing. This time of year probably wouldn't be territorial. They mate for life so probably just communicating with mate.

 

[mark richards]

but a owl box up in them oaks, you never know, they may nest there, a house up my valley had them nesting in chimney.

 

[Phil-D]

Barn owls can have 2 or 3 broods a year if conditions allow.

My thoughts, maybe a young (3/4 month old) bird that's now fending for its self but still calling to be fed. The adult may be calling back, telling the young bird its on its territory.

 

[the black fox]

My thoughts to might be a fledgling