This photo of an adult Barn Owl was taken at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. The best place to see Barn Owls at the Refuge is along the shorelines and fields after dusk, or roosting in a pine tree during the day.

Jamaica Bay has perhaps the densest population of nesting Barn Owls in New York State. NPS rangers and volunteers have placed many boxes in remote areas there [Fig. 1]. These are off limits to visitors, as the owls will abandon nest boxes if disturbed.

Fig 2 shows baby Barn Owls. Each year we band over 30 young owlets, to find out where they go, how long they live, etc.

A study of the pellets of Jamaica Bay owls shows they feed primarily on meadow voles and Norway rats.

For more information, visit the websites of the New York City Audubon Society and the American Littoral Society ["rhymes with 'literal' , but not a book club!"].