Are There Barn Owls In Spain?

[sandyRoe]

I was standing in the garden at about 2.30 this morning having a last cigarette when a massive bird flew past. There was no sound from its wings and it looked to be grey in the street lighting.
A Bar Owl?

[Zacs-Master]

Probably a Teat Owl.

[shoota]

I believe they are Europe wide Sandy.

[barry1010]

Yes. From Wiki
The barn owl is found almost everywhere in the world except polar and desert regions, in Asia north of the Himalaya, most of Indonesia, and some Pacific islands.[2]

[elliemay1]

Are you living in Spain now sandy?

[Togo]

Possibly a Tawny Owl Sandy. They are bigger than Barn Owls and grey in the under plumage in flight rather than the white(very white) of a Barn Owl. Plus if you are in "the city" it is more likely to be a Tawny. Barn Owls need open farmland but Tawny Owls will happily adapt to city life..............and they are partial to a cigarette, hence the deep 'hoohoo’ call. :))

[sandyRoe]

Elliemay,
I've been house/cat sitting in a tiny village in northern Spain since mid January.
The nearest decent size town, Muxia, is 7km away. The busses have just been cancelled.
The nearest shop now is a 20 minute walk.

[gulliver1]

Sandy , Probably an Eagle Owl ,did it have a very large wingspan ?, if not then as you say it could have been a Bar owl looking for a Bar that was open

[sandyRoe]

Bar owl was a Freudian slip. ))
This is a tiny village. Only about 6 houses occupied. A few are derelict, and others are rented as holiday places in the summer.
Plenty of open fields around and a forest not too far away.
A shepherd , watching sheep and goats and their new born lambs and kids, told me there was a wolf in the forest.

[sandyRoe]

Gulliver, not a big wing span but it looked to be a substantial bird.

Togo,
There's lots of open fields around here

[gulliver1]

Sandy, only joking, what is the weather like up north. ( Spain).

[elliemay1]

Thank you sandy. Sounds lovely (in normal times!) Hope you can get everything you need in the shop. Keep safe x

[elliemay1]

^ sorry, didn't see the wolf mentioned before I posted!

[sandyRoe]

When I came here on 15th of January it was raining. Didn't stop for about a month.
Countryside is very green as you'd expect, and very quiet

[gulliver1]

Sandy I was only joking about the Bar Owl , I was serious about " The Eagle Owl , quite common in Spain.

[sandyRoe]

Gulliver,
I know.
It was a big bird, silhouetted against the lights from a street light, and silent in flight.

[Togo]

One sure fire way Sand to identify is.....if you listen out at night and hear the familiar Hoohoo call then it is probably a Tawny Owl. Barn owls do not make that sound... more a grunt or sometimes a low pitched screech. Majestic sight in flight whatever type of Owl though. I have had the life almost frightened out of me at night here when one has flown very close near when I have accidentally disturbed it from a roost it uses to hunt in the garden.

[Chipchopper]

I seem to remember (on tv I think it was) that barn owls exist on all continents.
Encouraged in oil palm plantations with nesting boxes to keep rats under control apparently.