Exposure to sulfur-rich volcanic soil may increase production of pheomelanin, a pigment that gives a reddish tint to the feathers of barn owls living on remote volcanic islands Barn owls (Tyto alba) ...

Flying slowly and silently through the night sky, barn owls are majestic nocturnal hunters that successfully prey on rodents scurrying along the ground below. Scientists have long puzzled over a ...

Life on a volcanic isle appears to give barn owls a blush of red-brown plumage. The high-sulfur environment on such islands influences the birds’ coloration, researchers report March 13 in the Journal ...

White barn owls scare the bejesus out of their rodent prey, making them easier to catch. Image Credit: Alexandre Roulin, University of Lausanne Share Being white can make it tough to blend in—if ...

The barn owl is known for its striking appearance: two almond-shaped black eyes with distinctive brown streaks in the inner corners are surrounded by a snowy white, heart-shaped face. The white ...

Barn owls have plumage in a variety of colors, from dark brown to bright white. New research has revealed that barn owls hunt using their own body coloration. Kim Schalcher and her colleagues at the ...

Barn owls are skilled nocturnal hunters, swooping across open landscapes to scout out small rodents that scurry below. But scientists have long been puzzled by a trait that seems like it would work ...