Barn Owl

Barn Owls are magnificent birds. Whether drifting effortlessly through fading daylight or punctuating the black of night, they always stop observers in their tracks.

The sight of a ghostly Barn Owl quartering a field at dusk is not one that is easily forgotten, but the day-to-day lives of these captivating birds are little known to most people. In this book, insightful text coupled with rarely seen images of the species' life and behaviour introduce the reader to some of the most fascinating aspects of a remarkable nocturnal existence.

There are chapters on subjects such as hunting, courtship and survival, as well as the species' distribution, which covers much of the world, and its closest relatives.

The Barn Owl is further brought to life through a series of personal anecdotes from the author and photographers, which are woven into the text.

The images have been taken by a range of expert wildlife photographers, including Nigel Blake and Mike Read, who have spent many years studying and photographing Barn Owls. The book is part of a series that also includes the title Kingfisher and forthcoming Peregrine Falcon (due Spring 2012).