A large, pale, long-legged owl with no ear tufts and a very unique face pattern. Adult male has golden-brown back, pale underparts, scattered dark spotting, and pronounced facial disc with dark eyes in white, heart-shaped face. Female is like male but with darker orange breast and more dark spotting. In headlights or spotlight, may appear very pale, ghostly, almost white.

Length: 41 (cm) Wingspan: 107 (cm)

Voice:

Drawn-out, loud, hissing "schhhhick". Also bill-clacking, chatters.

Habitat:

Open fields, farms, agricultural areas, semi-urban open areas, deserts, grasslands, especially with unmanaged land and old, open barns.

Behavior:

Nocturnal. Flight is fluttering, with shallow wingbeats. Roosts by day in barn rafters, small caves, openings in haystacks, very dense trees, or other sheltered areas. Lays eggs directly on ground or floor. Sometimes nests in manmade boxes.

Feeding:

Hunts by patrolling open fields, using acute hearing to pinpoint prey while flying over habitat. Eats mice, voles, rats, and other small animals.