Today I’m talking with ecologist Sue Stevens about barn owls and crested terns. Barn owls are not common in urban areas but are found throughout Australia in grasslands and open woodland. Fish-eating crested terns frequent coastal areas with protected areas for breeding.

Barn Owl

The barn owl is one of the most widespread birds around the world and has that quintessential ‘owl face’ with a white, heart-shaped facial disk outlined by darker feathers. Listen to hear more about its appearance, habitat and hunting and breeding habits.

Barn Owl. Photo by skeeze

Crested Tern

Crested terns are a bit larger than a seagull with similar white and grey colouring but with a distinctive crest of dark feathers, a bit like a mullet haircut! You can find them hovering over sandy beaches around the Australian coastline. Let’s find out more…

Crested tern at Port Fairy, Victoria. Photo Ed Dunens via Flickr. Creative Commons Licence 2.0