Barn Owls Poem by Francis Duggan

The barn owls the quiet hunting birds of the night
Seen often flying across country roads in motor car headlights
Brown uppers and unders a pale gray to white
Such beautiful birds and so graceful in flight.

Cosmopolitan night birds they are seen Worldwide
And their value to farmers cannot be denied
Vermin rats and mice are their principle forms of prey
And they rest in tree cavities during the day.

Their name barn owl comes from in sheds and barns where rats and mice abound
The 'Tyto Alba' are seen hovering around
Tyto Alba of course for them their Latin name
And barn owl and tyto alba are one and the same.

They nest in a hollow log or hole in a tree
Lay oval white eggs from seven down to three
Their call from once heard one could never mistake
A very loud screech the only sound they make.

The most often seen night birds and 'twould be fair to say
That they help the farmers in quite a big way
Since they keep vermin such as rodents at bay
And on rats and mice they are known for to prey.