FW: Owl photos from Cairns area

["Greg & Val Clancy" <>]

I agree with Nikolas that the two birds in the photos are Eastern Barn Owls. 
I have studied the Tyto owls, mostly as roadkills, and prepared a key to the 
owls of Australia.  The unfeathered lower legs and the colouration and the 
black and white spots on the upperparts fit the Barn Owl.  The legs of the 
Hasties Swamp bird are too short for a Grass Owl and the upperparts are too 
pale.  The spots on a Grass Owl show only as white and not black and white. 
All photos are a little dark and therefore suggest that the birds are darker 
than they really are.  If you brighten the pictures you will see that they 
have the typical Barn Owl colouration and markings.
If anyone wants a copy of my owl key I can email it to them.

Regards

Greg Clancy
Ecologist
Coutts Crossing NSW