The female weighs 460 g (16 oz) while the male weighs 400 g (14 oz). Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. It has also been found in the coastal islands.[where?]. Omissions? The domed platform created at the end of a tunnel serves as either the nest or daytime roost site. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. See barn owl. Corrections? The barn owl (Tyto alba) is the most widely distributed species of owl in the world and one of the most widespread of all species of birds. These tunnels can be several metres long and connect with other tunnels. [4][5][6] They have dark brown or tan upper parts with pale spots. [2], Though some authorities consider this owl to be conspecific with the African grass owl, T. capensis, other consider it to be a valid species.[3]. GMA Public Affairs Recommended for you It … ... Grass Owls, even more than Barn Owls, are specialist hunters of small rodents and rarely take any other prey. Prey are detected from on the wing. The owl uses its long legs to penetrate dense ground cover and seize its prey. The eastern grass owl is a medium-sized owl, similar in size to the barn owl. Adult males measure from 32 to 38 cm (13 to 15 in) in length, while the larger females can measure from 35 to 42 cm (14 to 17 in). A loud, hissing screech but the grass owl's screech is louder than a barn owl's but quieter than a masked owl's. The wingspan is from 100 to 116 cm (39 to 46 in). The barn owl is found almost everywhere in the world except for the … This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/animal/grass-owl. In loudness and harshness it is about midway between a Barn Owl and Masked Owl. It is also known as the common barn owl, to distinguish it from the other species in its family, Tytonidae, which forms one of the two main lineages of living owls, the other being the typical owls (Strigidae). Studies in parts of Australia have shown that the most common prey is the long-haired rat and the cane rat. The Grass Owl has a slow flapping and gliding flight with the legs trailing behind or dangling low to catch prey with the feet. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). It roosts during the day on the ground in tall, rank grass where it creates domed platforms and tunnels by trampling down the surrounding grass. This owl prefers tall grasslands and swamps. Nesting is in similar situations. Eastern grass owls are considered "least concern" globally, primarily because of their wide distribution. The Grass Owl has a slow flapping and gliding flight with the legs trailing behind or dangling low to catch prey with the feet. Even though they weigh much the same as Barn Owls, their wings are considerably longer, … Roost areas consist of flattened vegetation within systems of "tunnels" through the swamp vegetation. Within Australia, Tyto longimembris is considered vulnerable on the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995). Grass-Owls are also larger than Marsh Owls and, with experience, this size difference is also useful in separating the species – particularly in low light. In such instances, the larger size and darker upperparts of Grass-Owls should help prevent miss … Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Similar species: The Grass Owl is most often confused with the Barn Owl, T. alba , which has much paler, soft grey and pale buff upper parts with small white tipped black markings. Andaman Scops Owl Otus balli – restricted to Andaman Islands, Bay of Bengal; Mountain Scops Owl Otus spilocephalus; Indian Scops Owl Otus bakkamoena Collared Scops Owl Otus bakkamoena lettia; Pallid … Eastern grass owls live in eastern, southern and southeast Asia, parts of New Guinea, Australia (mainly in Queensland) and the western Pacific. The female weighs 460 g (16 oz) while the male weighs 400 g (14 oz). They have black and tan bars on its wings and a very pale beak, feathered legs, and dark brown eyes. Updates? Grass owl, any of certain grassland owl species, belonging to the family Tytonidae, which also includes the barn owls. Adult males measure from 32 to 38 cm (13 to 15 in) in length, while the larger females can measure from 35 to 42 cm (14 to 17 in). Born to be Wild: Doc Nielsen witnesses the courting rituals of Camiguin hawk-owls - Duration: 4:52. Grass owl, any of certain grassland owl species, belonging to the family Tytonidae, which also includes the barn owls. Voice: Appears to be more silent than the Barn Owl, the normal call being a hissing scream similar to a Barn Owl. Like all Tyto owls, it has a heart-shaped facial disk with brown buff and a white bordering. 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22688522A93199574.en, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eastern_grass_owl&oldid=970949915, Vague or ambiguous geographic scope from July 2014, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 3 August 2020, at 09:38. In some areas (such as Midmar in KwaZulu/Natal) Barn Owls Tyto alba may also co-occur with African Grass-Owls and could potentially hunt over similar habitat. Pairs of owls frequently roost together and occasionally small groups of owls may roost quite close to each other. Eastern Grass Owl Tyto longmembris; Oriental Bay Owl Phodilus badius; Sri Lanka Bay Owl Phodilus badius assimilis; Long-eared Owl Asio otus; Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus; Smaller Owls. The eastern grass owl's primary call is like many other tyto owls. The African grass owl is nocturnal and is rarely seen flying during the day.