This owl is nocturnal and preys upon small mammals like voles, gophers, shrews, mice and rats and also bats, frogs and insects. They use a combination of sight and hearing to detect their prey. Their hearing is better than their sight, and have the sharpest hearing out of any animal tested. They have asymmetrical (not evenly placed) ear openings, the left one being higher than the right one. This allows their ears to be more sensitive to sounds from different directions. They often hunt in open grasslands. The Barn owl is found on all continents besides Antarctica, including the entirety of Australia. It resides in areas of open woodland, heaths and moors. They are also found in open farmland.
These owls participate in a rising and falling courtship flight that is performed by the male. The male will hover in front of the female and show her potential nesting sites and offering her food. They nest in scattered buildings, caves and tree hollows, where the females will lay 3-6 eggs. The majority of individuals of this species of owl only live between 1-2 years of age.