Barn owls don't hoot; they make eerie, screeching noises, which might explain their reputation as harbingers of doom.

These barn owls, bathed in the evening light, are waiting for the hunt to begin. As night falls, the birds of prey swoop into action, listening for the faint movements of mice and voles in the grass and leaves. Their heart-shaped faces help funnel sound towards their exceptionally sensitive ears, allowing them to locate prey with remarkable precision in the dark. They then swoop down almost silently, their soft feathers helping to muffle the sound of their approach.

In autumn, young barn owls may begin dispersing from the areas where they were raised to find territories of their own. As the nights grow longer, you might spot them earlier in the evening, gliding over fields in search of supper.