Ghostly pale in the shadows, Barn Owl’s success as a species is widespread globally for one reason: the ability to hunt in complete darkness. No other animal on earth is capable of this. In 2024, ornithologists split this owl into three taxonomic species—American, Eastern, and Western, based on all continental areas except Antarctica. Barn Owls thrive in the darkness that drives other creatures into hiding—they, quite literally, own the night. They are also one of a few species of owl with such a facial disc, belonging to the family Tytonidae. Barn owls are medium-sized with gray and cinnamon wings and bodies, buffy white chests, and pale faces with pitch-black eyes—an outward sign of their ability to hunt in complete darkness. Their raspy calls add to the eeriness of their presence.