Barn Owl question

[Columbine]

I live in hope that one day we might get an owl in our barn owl nest box and once or twice recently I have heard one screeching in the vicinity. Would I be right in assuming that it wouldn't be hunting if it was screeching? Could anyone tell me whether now is the time juvenile owls would be looking for new territory and perhaps screeching to test out if there are any other owls nearby?? There is a tawny owl which lives in a close neighbour's orchard, would this put off a barn owl? I don't suppose we could be so lucky but any information would be greatly received anyway. Thank you.

[faz]

hi barn owls dont screech im afraid its the tawny u can hear young owls are out and about now yes tawnys and barnys dont get on that well as they compeate with each other for food and the tawny is more robust than the barn owl you never know u may have a pair make a nest in your barn hope you do

[Columbine]

HI Faz,
Think I have got confused as I read Barn owls were also called screech owls. I thought it was too good to be true but thanks very much anyway, we used to see one around regularly a year or two back so may be one day!

[rogpow]

Hi,

Is this what you heard?:

YouTube - Barn Owl Screech

I've been watching the Dorset Wildlife Barn Owl web cam for the last few weeks:

Barn Owl Webcam : Live Bird Webcam from Dorset Wildlife Trust

and the adult female makes what I would call a screeching noise.

Cheers,
Rog

[Naturenutz]

Hi barn owls do have a screech call. But also remember that the tawny owl has a few different calls.You can hear all the calls hear
Owl Calls & Sounds - All Species
I do not know if the two species territories overlap ,although the tawny is a woodland /parkland bird and the barn owl is a farmland bird.

[Columbine]

Thanks very much rogpow and naturenutz, I am afraid Faz was exactly right, it was definately tawny owls that I could hear. I knew that tawny owls made the twit and twoo noise and wrongly assumed that it must be barn owls that screeched but at least I now know better. Our area is farmland but with woodland too so there are both types of owl in the general area. Thank you both again for the links they were very useful and I have now swotted up on owl calls and hopefully won't make that mistake again!

[faz]

baen owls do make a screeching noise when threatened or young make this noise when poarents return with food for them they dont make any noise when flying /hunting and yes they are also known as screech owls but not so much these days

[faz]

[quote=faz;658094]barn owls do make a screeching noise when threatened or young make this noise when parents return with food for them they dont make any noise when flying /hunting and yes they are also known as screech owls but not so much these days

[Ross17]

iv heard adult barn owls making quite a screeching call without felling threatened

[Dogghound]

Barn Owls Screech. This is perhaps their most common call the male screeches on territory it is likely this that you are hearing, he will screech usually when not hunting but occassionally they do screech and hunt. When threatened or when close to the nest they tend to hiss, its a real raspy sound. Ive never heard of a tawny hissing, they can shriek but its quite different from a barn owl screech. Juveniles here are still dependent on the adults (at 4 nest sites), it depends on where you are in the country and how early they began breeding. Potentially you could have young birds depending on existing territories.

Where is your nest box positioned? Is there a clear flight path to the entrance? Is there much disturbance in the building? sometimes they are not to bothered by this but others are far more picky.

Tawny Owls will not tolerate barn owls and quickly attack them and drive them away.