Barn owl, England Mar 19, 2023

Barn owl, England

Barn owls, distinguished by their white heart-shaped faces, are one of the world"s most widespread birds, found on every continent except Antarctica. They live in woodlands, farms, and on cliffs, but barn owls also enjoy roosting in places like bell towers and barns—hence the name. They are nighttime predators that fly over open lands to hunt rats and mice. During heavy rain, they are unable to hunt because their feathers aren"t waterproof, leaving them vulnerable to starvation during long periods of wet weather. Although some see them as a symbol of wisdom and fortune, their haunting cries and ghostly appearance mean they have often been seen as bad omens in rural areas.

© Ondrej Prosicky/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Mar 19, 2018Sanxiantai Dragon Bridge in Taitung, Taiwan
Mar 19, 2019The smoke before the bonfire
Mar 19, 2020Sunburst at Angkor
Mar 19, 2021Life carries on, rising from a ship s skeleton
Mar 19, 2022Chicagohenge
Mar 19, 2024Spring equinox
Mar 19, 2025A black heron canopy feeding in Botswana

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Dec 7, 2021Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
May 15, 2024The Blue City of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Apr 30, 2022International Jazz Day
May 20, 2021Happy Bee Day to you
Nov 20, 2020Atop the Needle of Chamonix
Apr 12, 2022International Day of Human Space Flight
Sep 30, 2019Wheels up in Beijing
Aug 26, 2024Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge
Nov 15, 2019Mesmerizing murmuration
Jul 16, 2019Hemingway’s Keys
Oct 23, 2018Of moles and liquid nitrogen
Dec 8, 2025Christmas lights in Domaso, Lake Como, Italy
Aug 3, 2024Three Natural Bridges, Wulong Karst, China
Aug 28, 2021Relationship status: It s complicated
Nov 7, 2024Vancouver Coastal Sea wolves, Great Bear Rainforest, Canada
Sep 12, 2022Chestnut-eared aracari in the Pantanal, Brazil
Jul 4, 2018Let’s celebrate
Feb 4, 2023Rosa Parks Day
May 23, 2023World Turtle Day
Oct 9, 2018A history of Vinland
Aug 23, 2024Prasat Phanom Rung temple ruins, Thailand
Mar 20, 2021It s time for spring
Apr 11, 2025Tulips, Netherlands
Jun 7, 2019Holey moley–it’s National Doughnut Day!
Oct 12, 2019It s aboat time for the Barcolana
Nov 17, 2023National Take a Hike Day
Jun 12, 2020Big sky at Big Bend
Aug 19, 2025Solar Impulse 2 in Honolulu
Nov 28, 2019Wild turkeys in repose
Dec 2, 2021Denali National Park