Give a Hoot for Barn Owls

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Give a Hoot for Barn Owls

• Carol Knight
• EDU 506-02
• March 3, 2001

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Have you ever heard the haunting screech of the
barn owl? The common barn owl has long been
associated with man because of its use of barn
lofts and church steeples as nesting sites. Come
learn about these fascinating birds. Read about
its hunting and nesting habits. Listen to its
drawn-out rasping screech. Have fun working
puzzles and playing a game. Learn how you can
help protect these silent ghosts of the night.
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Tasks

• This Web Quest is designed for fourth grade
  students studying the barn owl. You will
• learn the description and characteristics of
  the barn owl,
• listen to the calls of the barn owl,
• learn how to construct a nesting box for the
  barn owl,
• become aware of safety precautions necessary
  in caring for
  nesting boxes, and
• play games testing your knowledge about barn
  owls.

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Resource 1

• The Common Barn Owl site provides you with a
  description of and interesting facts about the
  common barn owl. Information about the habitat,
  life history, and special adaptations of the barn
  owl are included.

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Resource 2

• There are several barn owl calls. This site has
  recorded the typical call, the call of the young,
  and chattering.

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Resource 3

• Instructions for how to build nest boxes from
  easy to find materials are given at this site.

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Resource 4

• Safety precautions must be taken when cleaning
  and caring for nesting boxes. This site offers
  helpful suggestions to follow so that you and
  the owl stay healthy.

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Resource 5

• The Animal Game lets the player try to stump the
  computer. The player thinks of an animal (an owl
  in this case) and answers Yes or No questions
  about the animal as the computer guesses what
  animal you are describing.

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Resource 6

• This word search puzzle challenges the player to
  find words related to barn owls.

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Conclusion
After completing this WebQuest, you should have a
better understanding of the barn owl. You may
even be able to recognize its call when you are
out at night. You are now aware that steps must
be taken to provide new nesting sites in order to
insure that we will continue to be able to enjoy
this fascinating animal. If you decide to build
a nesting site from the suggestions given,
remember to follow the safety instructions
provided to protect your health and that of the
owl. Is there wildlife in the area where you
live that needs your protection?
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A special thanks to Dr. Lewis and Chad for their
help with this project. Also, thanks to Tina
Simmons, my partner in EDU 506, for her help and
patience.