From Izzy Edwards
Female Barn Owl on the left has tan breast plumage with many spots, male (on the right) has paler breast in comparison with little to no spotting.
Most owls we can’t tell apart visually, but Barn Owls are one that we often can.
Do you favor the design of one or the other? I like the spots on Ms Owl, though Mr does have the whitest of white feathers… 🤔
Good observation! I think that is just random. Owls have a lot of voluntary muscle control over their feathers, especially on their face. They can move the facial feathers like a fine tuning control to hear different sounds better.
Here is a male with less visible nares (nostrils) and a female where you can mostly see them.