Barn owl sitting on a branch

© blickwinkel/Alam

Who are you looking at?

We're celebrating World Migratory Bird Day, which has a different theme each year. This year's focus highlights the tracking technologies used to explore the routes of migratory birds across the globe—and how we can use that information to aid in conservation. Organizers are following the journeys of 12 selected migratory bird species, including the barn owl, which we're looking at here—or rather, he’s looking at us.

The barn owl is the most widespread land bird species in the world and can be found on every continent except for Antarctica. While some barn owls remain near the northern edges of their range all winter long, others move long distances southward in the fall. On World Migratory Bird Day, organizers highlight the ways ornithologists track migration patterns like the barn owl's, examine the threats these birds face along the way, and showcase the communities on the ground that are working to protect them.