Barn Owl - Male or Female? (1 Viewer)

[riggers]

My good friend took this amazing photo last week and he wanted to know if it was male or female so I said I would ask the experts on here and let him know. Thank you very much!

 

[KC Foggin]

Did you get any frontal images to see if there are any tiny black dots on it's breast and underwings? If yes, then it is a female. If not and it is more pure white, it would be a male.

 

[riggers]

Did you get any frontal images to see if there are any tiny black dots on it's breast and underwings? If yes, then it is a female. If not and it is more pure white, it would be a male.

I will ask my friend tomorrow, thank you so much for your quick reply, that’s very helpful

 

[RafaelMatias]

Check this PDF out: http://blascozumeta.com/specie_files/07350_Tyto_alba_aranzadi.pdf

 

[riggers]

Check this PDF out: http://blascozumeta.com/specie_files/07350_Tyto_alba_aranzadi.pdf

Rafael thank you so much, this is absolutely brilliant, so helpful! Obrigada!

 

[tconzemi]

https://bioone.org/journals/ardea/volume-100/issue-1/078.100.0114/A-New-Method-to-Sex-Barn-Owls-Tyto-alba/10.5253/078.100.0114.pdf

this might be of interest for continental people dealing with Tyto alba guttata

 

[01101001]

The English version (Non Passerine >> Tytonidae >> Tyto alba, Western Barn Owl): Species Files – Guia Blasco Zumeta de Aves.

 

[riggers]

The English version (Non Passerine >> Tytonidae >> Tyto alba, Western Barn Owl): Species Files – Guia Blasco Zumeta de Aves.

Thanks so much for this, brilliant Information!

 

[riggers]

https://bioone.org/journals/ardea/volume-100/issue-1/078.100.0114/A-New-Method-to-Sex-Barn-Owls-Tyto-alba/10.5253/078.100.0114.pdf

this might be of interest for continental people dealing with Tyto alba guttata

Thanks very much!

 

[citrinella]

Hmm. I ring a few barn owl at the nest where we often encounter both members of a pair, and I'm not at all convinced by spot scoring - I think it needs to be interpreted with caution. It is probably true that pure white birds are male, but most birds I have handled have at least some spots. However, the same individual may change through the years. My doubts started with a female that I caught regularly for about 6 years. She was exceptionally easy to handle. She started with lots of spots (grade 5) but by the end had hardly any spots at all. I'm in Eastern Scotland.

Note- I've never seen a guttata.

Mike.

 

[riggers]

Did you get any frontal images to see if there are any tiny black dots on it's breast and underwings? If yes, then it is a female. If not and it is more pure white, it would be a male.

My friend sent me this photo which shows a different angle, thanks for your help

 

[riggers]

Hmm. I ring a few barn owl at the nest where we often encounter both members of a pair, and I'm not at all convinced by spot scoring - I think it needs to be interpreted with caution. It is probably true that pure white birds are male, but most birds I have handled have at least some spots. However, the same individual may change through the years. My doubts started with a female that I caught regularly for about 6 years. She was exceptionally easy to handle. She started with lots of spots (grade 5) but by the end had hardly any spots at all. I'm in Eastern Scotland.

Note- I've never seen a guttata.

Mike.

Thank you, wow, that sounds amazing ringing barn owls, they are beautiful. Here is another photo my friend took. Very interesting about the spots, thanks for the info. I’ve never seen a guttata either 😊

 

[KC Foggin]

My friend sent me this photo which shows a different angle, thanks for your help

Yup,-pure-male.

 

[riggers]

Yup,-pure-male.

Thank you so much, I will let my friend know