Kauaʻi record · kba_bird_barn_owl
Barn Owl
Tyto alba
Open this record in the interactive AtlasAbout Barn Owl
Barn Owl (Tyto alba) is recorded as a naturalized resident or reintroduced population on Kauaʻi in the Bishop Museum's 2017 island checklist. This is a documented island occurrence, not a claim of an individual sighting in 2026.
Kauaʻi evidence
Bishop Museum island checklist (version 2, 2017) lists Kauaʻi status N: naturalized resident or reintroduced population. See original island table. The record includes Kauaʻi-specific or clearly defined regional evidence appropriate to its stated occurrence status.
Occurrence evidence
bishop_island_checklist_2017
Names and classification
- Scientific name
- Tyto alba
- Common names
- Barn Owl
- Family
- Tytonidae
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Record type
- Species
Kauaʻi occurrence and status
- Kauaʻi occurrence
- Kauaʻi documented: naturalized resident or reintroduced population (2017 island checklist)
- Origin
- Introduced
- Conservation status
- Not assessed
- Evidence date
- 2026-09-13
- Evidence limits
- Island occurrence supported by the 2017 checklist; abundance and current year presence are not established here
Habitat and ecology
- Habitats
- Forest
- Food and resource needs
- Predator role is documented in cited sources
- Reproduction
- Suitable nesting or roosting sites, seasonal food, and protection from disturbance and predators.
- Shelter
- Shelter and structure within forest.
Threats and conservation
- Threats
- Introduced predator pressure on native birds and competition/confusion with Pueo · Barn Owl control requires non-target safeguards
- Conservation actions
- Map overlap with seabird/waterbird colonies, distinguish Barn Owl from Pueo, and route actions through predator-control and injurious-wildlife safeguards
- Monitoring
- Track occurrence, abundance, habitat condition, breeding or seasonal use, and significant threats.
- Data gaps
- Update island status with dated contemporary records · Specific Kauaʻi habitat and abundance need local evidence
Process and seasonal context
- Seasonal timing
- Introduced Established Resident
- Seasonal description
- Barn Owl (Tyto alba) is recorded as a naturalized resident or reintroduced population on Kauaʻi in the Bishop Museum's 2017 island checklist. This is a documented island occurrence, not a claim of an individual sighting in 2026.
Sources and further reading
- https://hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov/bird/barn-owl/
- https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/wildlife/invasives/injurious-wildlife/
- https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dofaw/kauai/learn/
- https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/wildlife/birds/aeo/
- https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/wildlife/birds/ao/
- https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/C-2.pdf
- https://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/birds/rlp-monograph/SEHIlist.htm