Effraie des clochers (Tyto alba) Barn Owl
Description: Very rare in Quebec. Heart-shaped facial disk, dark eyes, no ear tufts. Rusty, golden brown back, pale underneath. Females always darker than males. Flight is butterfly-like.
Habitat: Open country (fields, marshes, farmland), suburban areas.
Size: 5 to 50 cm.
Prey: Field mice, shrews, insects.
This species was once considered as a bird of misfortune. People used to kill Barn Owls and nail them on doors and fences to scare demons away. Its name comes from the fact that it likes to nest in barns and old, abandoned buildings.