Barn owls (Tytonidae)
Baby barn owls: from egg to fledgling
A Barn Owl lays 2–18 eggs. They hatch after 29–34 days, and the young leave the nest 50–70 days later — about 79–104 days from egg to fledgling.
- Eggs per clutch
- 2–18 eggs
- Incubation
- 29–34 days
- Time in the nest
- 50–70 days
- Egg to fledgling
- About 79–104 days
- Broods per year
- 1–3 per season
- Nest
- Barn lofts, silos, tree cavities and large nest boxes
- Uses nest boxes
- Yes — 6 in hole
Stage by stage
- Eggs (29–34 days): 2–18 eggs per clutch. Most songbirds start incubating when the last or second-to-last egg is laid, so the young hatch close together; owls and hawks start with the first egg, so their chicks hatch days apart.
- Nestlings (50–70 days): the young hatch with little or no down and their eyes closed. They grow fast on a diet the parents bring in. In the breeding season barn owls mainly eat voles, mice, rats and shrews.
- Fledglings: after leaving the nest, young barn owls are fully feathered but short-tailed and clumsy. They spend days to weeks on low branches or the ground while the parents keep feeding them.
- More broods: 1–3 per season. Pairs often start a new nest soon after the first young become independent.
When barn owls nest, state by state
Nesting starts earliest in Arkansas (Jan) and latest in Alabama (Dec). Months are estimates from regional breeding data shifted for latitude.
| State / province | Nesting season |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Dec–Dec |
| Arizona | Dec–Dec |
| Arkansas | Jan–Dec |
| British Columbia | Feb–Dec |
| California | Dec–Dec |
| Delaware | Jan–Dec |
| Florida | Dec–Dec |
| Georgia | Dec–Dec |
| Illinois | Jan–Dec |
| Indiana | Jan–Dec |
| Kansas | Jan–Dec |
| Kentucky | Jan–Dec |
| Louisiana | Dec–Dec |
| Maryland | Jan–Dec |
| Mississippi | Dec–Dec |
| Missouri | Jan–Dec |
| Nebraska | Jan–Dec |
| New Jersey | Jan–Dec |
| New Mexico | Jan–Dec |
| North Carolina | Jan–Dec |
| North Dakota | Feb–Dec |
| Ohio | Jan–Dec |
| Oklahoma | Jan–Dec |
| Oregon | Jan–Dec |
| South Carolina | Dec–Dec |
| South Dakota | Jan–Dec |
| Tennessee | Jan–Dec |
| Texas | Dec–Dec |
| Virginia | Jan–Dec |
| Washington | Jan–Dec |
| West Virginia | Jan–Dec |
Found a baby Barn Owl?
- Feathered, hopping, can grip your finger: a fledgling. This is a normal stage. Keep pets and children away and watch from a distance; the parents are usually close by.
- Bare skin or only pin feathers: a nestling that fell. If you can see the nest, put it back. Touching it won't make the parents abandon it — that is a myth.
- Injured, cold, covered in flies, or caught by a cat: contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. In the US and Canada, ahnow.org finds the nearest one.
- Don't give water or food. Baby birds can choke, and the wrong food can kill them.
More about barn owls
Frequently asked
How long do baby barn owls stay in the nest?
About 50–70 days after hatching. Eggs take 29–34 days to hatch, so it is roughly 79–104 days from the last egg to the young leaving.
How many eggs does a Barn Owl lay?
2–18 eggs per clutch, with 1–3 per season.
Where do barn owls nest?
Barn lofts, silos, tree cavities and large nest boxes.
What should I do if I find a baby Barn Owl on the ground?
If it has feathers and hops, it is a fledgling and its parents are almost certainly nearby — leave it. If it is naked or has pin feathers, put it back in the nest if you can. Call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator if it is injured.