Tyto alba | barn owl

Barn Owl, photo by Sherman Wing

Introduced

The barn owl is the only introduced species of owl in Hawaiʻi. They are sometimes mistakenly identified as the native pueo by locals and are common on all islands. Unlike the pueo, barn owls only hunt at night. Adults are 14-20 inches long with a white, heart shaped face, dark eyes and a pale bill. Underparts are white in males and buffy in females. At night, an observer might hear their raspy hiss, screeches, or a series of loud clicks.

The map below shows hotspots along our birding trails where you might see this bird.

Hotspots for barn owl

Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge

Wetland

Kealia Pond NWR, photo by USFWS
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Kanahā Pond State Wildlife Sanctuary

Wetland

Kanahā Pond State Wildlife Sanctuary, photo by Jeff Bagshaw
LookoutParking

SIDE TRIP: Wai‘ānapanpa State Park

Coastal

Waiʻānapanapa State Park, photo by DLNR
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Kahakapao Recreation Area

Wet forest

Makawao Forest Reserve, photo by DLNR
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Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area

Dry forest

Polipoli Trail, photo by DLNR
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Waikamoi Preserve (The Nature Conservancy-PRIVATE)

Wet forest

TNC Waikamoi Preserve, photo by Ian Shive
HikingParking

Hosmer Grove (Haleakalā National Park)

Dry forest

Hosmer Grove, NPS Photo by Megan Miller
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Keāhole Point

Coastal

LookoutParking

Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historic Park

Wetland

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Makāula -‘O‘oma Trails

Wet forest

HikingParkingInterpretive Signage

Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a ʻŌhiʻa Trail

Pasture and grasslandsDry forest

HikingBathroomParkingTrash

Waiki‘i (off Old Saddle Road)

Pasture and grasslands

Driving

Palila Forest Discovery Trail

Dry forest

HikingParkingInterpretive Signage

Pu‘u Huluhulu Trail

Dry forest

HikingBathroomParkingInterpretive SignageTrash

Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō Trail

Wet forest

HikingParkingInterpretive Signage

Kaulana Manu Nature Trail

Wet forest

HikingBathroomParkingInterpretive SignageTrash

Kaūmana Trail

Wet forest

HikingParkingInterpretive Signage

Wailoa River State Park

Wetland

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Loko Waka Pond

Wetland

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