Tyto alba (Scopoli, 1769)

Higher Taxonomy
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Strigiformes
Family: Tytonidae
Genus: Tyto
Characterisation
Trogloxene
Distribution
Cosmopolitan
Distribution in caves of Greece
  • Spilaio Agias Sofias, Pieper 1977
    Region: Kriti / Regional unit: Chania / Municipality: Kissamos / Closest settlement: Topolia
  • Spilaio Agias Paraskevis, Pieper 1977, Paragamian & Zivanovic 1992, Benda et al. 2009, Beron 2016
    Region: Kriti / Regional unit: Irakleio / Municipality: Chersonisos / Closest settlement: Skoteino
  • Spilaio Spiliara, Paragamian & Zivanovic 1992, Beron 2016
    Region: Kriti / Regional unit: Irakleio / Municipality: Irakleio / Closest settlement: Agia Eirini (Spilia)
  • Spilaio Chonos Sarchou, Pieper 1977, Hanak et al. 2001
    Region: Kriti / Regional unit: Irakleio / Municipality: Malevizi / Closest settlement: Sarchos
  • Spilaio Vigla, Pieper 1977, Hanak et al. 2001
    Region: Kriti / Regional unit: Irakleio / Municipality: Viannos / Closest settlement: Ano Viannos
IUCN Red List
LC - Least Concern
Greece's Red Data Book
LC - Least Concern
Protection status
  • Bern Convention: Appendix II in Council of Europe 1979 - Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats / Law 1335/1983, OGG 32/Α/14-03-1983 (Integration of the Bern Convention)
  • CITES: Appendices II/A in Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), 1973 / Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 of 9 December 1996 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein
  • Law 86/1969, OGG7/Α/1969 (Forest Code modified by Law 2637/1998, OGG 200/A/1998)
Check Databases
Fauna Europea
GBIF
IUCN Red List
PESI
NCBI
Species references
  • Benda, P., Georgiakakis, P., Dietz, C., Hanak, V., Galanaki, K., Markantonatou, V., Chudarkova, A., Hulva, P. & Horacek, I. 2009. Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. Part 7. The bat fauna of Crete, Greece. Acta Societatis Zoologicae Bohemicae, 72 (3-4): 105-190.
  • Beron, P. 2016. Faune cavernicole de la Grèce. Maison d'édition Est-West., Sofia. pp. 229.
  • Hanak, V., Benda, P., Ruedi, M., Homcek, I. & Sofianidou, T. 2001. Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the Eastern Mediterranean. Part 2. New records and review of distribution of bats in Greece. Acta Societatis Zoologicae Bohemicae, 65: 279-346.
  • Paragamian, K. & Zivanovic, S. 1992. Preliminary results of the examination of barn owl (Tyto alba) food pellets from two caves in central Crete, Greece. Bull. Soc. Speleol. Grèce, 20 (1): 95-97.
  • Pieper, H. 1977. Fledermäuse aus Schleiereulen-Gewöllen von der Insel Kreta. Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde, 42 (1): 7-12.
Citation
Paragamian, K. 2026. Tyto alba (Scopoli, 1769). In Paragamian, K., M. Poulinakis, S. Paragamian and I. Nikoloudakis. Cave fauna of Greece database - Hellenic Institute of Speleological Research. Species data updated 22.11.2025, Accessed 11.03.2026