There exist 27 orders in the Class of Birds (called Aves). One of these orders, Strigiformes, contains all
the worlds owls, and is divided into two families: Strigidae (the so-called true or typical owls) and Tytonidae
(known as barn owls).
Overall there are about 216 species of owls, with around 200 in the typical owl
family, and 16 species in the barn owl family. The bird most typically known as the barn owl is Tyto alba, which
is what we concern ourselves with here.
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The barn owl, Tyto alba, is the widest spread landbird in the world. As it dispersed in ancient times, it encountered
differing geographies, predators, prey, and climates. These forces, just as with other animals, caused the barn owl to change
slightly from region to region--creating races or subspecies of barn owls--35 in all, some of them with
huge ranges such as the British and North American barn owls, and some confined to small island chains.
The diversifying
effect of the genetic isolation found on islands is quite evident in the subspecies of Tyto alba: of the 35
races, 20 inhabit only relatively small islands. In fact, the worldwide range of the barn owl is mostly achieved through the
ranges of only 11 of its subspecies.
Wherever they live, barn owls remain cavity nesters, are attracted
to the structures of man, and also can be attracted to nest boxes.
THE THIRTY-FIVE RACES OF THE BARN OWL
New World Barn Owls
1. North American Barn Owl (Tyto alba pratincola): This is the barn owl of the United States
and Central America. This subspecies has one of the largest ranges of any of the races.
2. Central
American Barn Owl (T. a. guatemalae): Takes up where pratincola leaves off--ranging through Guatemala,
Nicaragua, Salvador, and Panama.
3. Bahamian Barn Owl (T. a. lucayana): Ranges
throughout the Bahamas.
4. Cuban Barn Owl (T. a. furcata): Cuba, Grand Caymans, and
Jamaica
5. Subandean Barn Owl (T. a subandeana): Contines the range of the barn owl
in South America, found in Columbia and Ecuador
6. Columbian Barn Owl (T. a. contempta):
Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. (smallest and darkest of the races)
7. Hellmayr's
Barn Owl (T. a. hellmayri): Venezuela into Brazil.
8. Brazilian Barn Owl (T. a.
tuidara): Brazil, Chile, and Argentina, completing the range of the barn owl on the South American mainland
9. Tortugan Barn Owl (T. a. glaucops): the islands of Tortuga and Hispanolia in the West Indies
10. Dominican Barn Owl (T. a. nigrescens): the island of Dominica in the West Indies. A very dark race.
11. St. Lucia Barn Owl (T. a insularis): the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies, including St. Lucia, Grenada, and
St. Vincent
12. Curacao Barn Owl (T. a. bargei): the island of Curacao off the coast
of Venezuela
13. Galapagos Barn Owl (T. a. punctatissima): James Island in the Galapagos
Islands
European Barn Owls
1. British Barn Owl (Tyto alba alba): British Isles, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Greece, and North
Africa.
2. European Barn Owl (T. a. guttata): Sweden, Denmark,
Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Russia, Austria, Hungary, Bulgiaria, and the Crimea
3. Madeiran
Barn Owl (T. a. schmitzi): the island of Madeira off the coast of Portugal
4. Ernest's Barn Owl (T. a. ernesti): the islands of Corsica and Sardinia
in the Mediterranean
African Barn Owls
1.
Canary Island Barn Owl (T. a. gracilirostris): eastern Canary Islands off the coast of Africa
2. Cape Verde Barn Owl (T. a. detorta): the islands of St. Vincent and Santiago in the Cape Verde Islands off the
coast of west Africa
3. West African Barn Owl (T. a. poensis): the island of Fernando Po
off the coast of West Africa
4. Sao Thome Barn Owl (T. a. thomensis): the island of Sao Thome
off the coast of West Africa
5. African Barn Owl (T. a. affinis): this very large barn owl
is the barn owl of the African mainland, occuring from Gambia in northwestern Africa all the way to the very southern tip
of the continent.
6. Madagascan Barn Owl (T. a. hypermetra): even larger than
the African, this barn owl inhabits only the large island of Madagascar and the Comoro Islands.
7.
Erlanger's Barn Owl (T. a. erlangeri): Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Iraq, and Iran; this is the barn
owl being used by the farmers in Israel for integrated pest management.
Asian Barn Owls
1. Indian Barn Owl (T. a. stertens): India, Pakistan, Burma, Assam,
and Sri Lanka. This owl also has a large range, similar to the European, North American, and African.
2. Burmese Barn Owl (T. a. javanica): Burma, Thailand, Indo-China, and all of South East Asia. The Burmese
is being used by oil palm plantations to help control their rodent infestations.
3. Andaman Barn
Owl (T. a. de-roepstorffi): a very red race of barn owl that occurs only on the Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean
4. Sumban Barn Owl (T. a. sumbaensis): only on Sumba Island in Indonesia
5. Kisar Barn Owl (T. a. kuehni): only on Kisar Island in Indonesia
6. Savu Barn Owl (T.
a. everetti): only on the the island of Savu in Indonesia
Australian Barn Owls
1. New Guinea Barn Owl (T. a. meeki): south-eastern New Guinea and Dampier
and Vulcan Islands
2. Boaing Island Barn Owl (T. a. crassirostris): Boaing Island east of
New Guinea
3. Santa Cruz Barn Owl (T. a. interposita): Santa Cruz and New Hebrides Islands
off the coast of Queensland
4. New Caledonia Barn Owl (T. a. lulu): New Caledonia, New Hebrides,
Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, and the Society Islands
5. Australian Barn Owl (T. a.
deliculata): Australia, Tasmania, and the Solomon Islands. This race is being used in sugar cane plantations to help
control cane, roof, and Norwegian rats.
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