Willow
- Species - barn owl
- Scientific name - Tyto alba
- Hatch year - 2017
- Sex - female
- Weight - 1 lb
- Location found - Tennessee (Smoky Mountain Raptor Center)
- Unreleasable due to unidentified behavioral abnormality
- Flighted - Yes
Willow was hatched in 2017 and came to our facility from the Smoky Mountain Raptor Center in Tennessee with her name. Not much is known about her history, but she lives with us because of a behavioral disability.
Willow isn’t very active during the day, since these birds are nocturnal. Owls have more rods in their eyes than humans do, which gives them excellent vision in low-light conditions. Barn owls are one of the only animals that scientists have proven can hunt in near complete darkness. It’s not unheard of to hear or see nocturnal & crepuscular owls during the day, but they are most active at dusk, night, or dawn.
Barn owls are amazing at hunting mice, which makes them an effective method of pest control. Because of this, some farmers will put perches up in their fields for the owls. This helps the barn owl more easily locate its prey and prevents rodents from destroying crops.
