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.