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Mass Audubon State of the Birds

Find Bird Groups

Barn Owl
Tyto alba

The monkey-faced Barn Owl is a rare and very local permanent resident near the northern limit of its range in the Bay State, where its breeding distribution is very restricted on the largest islands off southeastern Massachusetts. Bay State Barn Owls are also sensitive to winter-kill due to extensive snow cover or extreme cold. Declines in their already-low numbers have earned them Special Concern status in the state.
Conservation Status
Conservation Action Urgent

Tracking This Bird In Massachusetts

Climate Vulnerability Score

No data
Mass Audubon Mean likelihood of occurrence (current)
0.52
Mass Audubon Mean likelihood of occurrence (2050)
0.45
Mass Audubon Absolute change in likelihood of occurrence
-0.07
U.S. Forest Service Climate Change Bird Atlas (Hadly Hi emissions scenario)a
n/a
National Audubon Societyb
Climate Threatened
a USFS model data for Massachusetts by 2100
b National Audubon Society's Climate Change Atlas was completed on a continental scale.

Breeding Bird Atlas

Atlas I Blocks
18
Atlas II Blocks
15
Percent of state occupied - Atlas I
2
Percent of state occupied - Atlas II
1
Percent change
65

Breeding Bird Survey

Annual trend 1966-2010
P-value
Number of routes
Recent trend 2000-2010

Christmas Bird Count

Trend (1963-2008)
4.1
Significantly different than zero
yes
Trend (1963-1979)
0
Significantly different than zero
Trend (1979-2008)
3
Significantly different than zero
no
Christmas Bird Count Sightings By Year
Data reflects sightings per person per hour in order to account for varying numbers of yearly volunteers.

Habitat Usage

Breeding

Grassland, Saltmarsh, Urban and Suburban

Wintering

Grassland