<P> The bird's head and upper body typically vary between pale brown and some shade of grey (especially on the forehead and back) in most subspecies . Some are purer, richer brown instead, and all have fine black - and - white speckles except on the remiges and rectrices (main wing feathers), which are light brown with darker bands . The heart - shaped face is usually bright white, but in some subspecies it is brown . The left ear is slightly above the eyes on the vertical plane, whereas the right ear is slightly below the eyes . The orientation of the ear coverts in relation to the face also differs between the ears, with a difference of about 15 ° . The underparts, including the tarsometatarsal (lower leg) feathers, vary from white to reddish buff among the subspecies, and are either mostly unpatterned or bear a varying number of tiny blackish - brown speckles . It has been found that at least in the continental European populations, females with more spotting are healthier than plainer birds . This does not hold true for European males by contrast, where the spotting varies according to subspecies . The beak varies from pale horn to dark buff, corresponding to the general plumage hue, and the iris is blackish brown . The talons, like the beak, vary in colour, ranging from pink to dark pinkish - grey and the talons are black . </P> <P> On average within any one population, males tend to have fewer spots on the underside and are paler in colour than females . The latter are also larger with a strong female T. alba of a large subspecies weighing over 550 g (19.4 oz), while males are typically about 10% lighter . Nestlings are covered in white down, but the heart - shaped facial disk becomes visible soon after hatching . </P> <P> Contrary to popular belief, the barn owl does not hoot (such calls are made by typical owls, like the tawny owl or other members of the genus Strix). It instead produces the characteristic shree scream, ear - shattering at close range, an eerie, long - drawn - out shriek . Males in courtship give a shrill twitter . Both young and old can hiss like a snake to scare away intruders . Other sounds produced include a purring chirrup denoting pleasure, and a "kee - yak", which resembles one of the vocalisations of the tawny owl . When captured or cornered, the barn owl throws itself on its back and flails with sharp - taloned feet, making for an effective defence . In such situations it may emit rasping sounds or clicking snaps, produced probably by the beak but possibly by the tongue . </P> <P> The barn owl is the most widespread landbird species in the world, occurring in every continent except Antarctica . Its range includes all of Europe (except Fennoscandia and Malta), most of Africa apart from the Sahara, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Australia, many Pacific Islands, and North, Central and South America . In general it is considered to be sedentary, and indeed many individuals, having taken up residence in a particular location, remain there even when better foraging areas nearby become vacant . In the British Isles, the young seem largely to disperse along river corridors and the distance travelled from their natal site averages about 9 km (5.6 mi). </P>

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