An Australian barn owl (Tyto alba delicatula*) swoops down to intercept a rodent crossing the road. As the rain increased in intensity, the owl remained stubborn to abandon its prey and tolerated my approach. Barn owls and barking owls (Ninox connivens) can often be seen on roads and overlooking trees in the Top End, with eyes and ears alert to ambush prey. Be sure to check out my earlier post about two barking owls squabbling over a grassland melomys.
*Australasian barn owls have been proposed to be split into the eastern barn owl (Tyto javanica). Photographed after pursuit [3]
