**4.1 Western barn owl** *Tyto alba* **(Scopoli, 1769) (IUCN red list: LC)**

The following are explained in **Figure 5**.

Iraq

Status: Local, but fairly widespread breeding resident, probably regular winter visitor and passage migrant evident by large number of trapped birds during the autumn season (**Figure 1**).

Literature records: Samarra, Mosul, Babylon, between Museyib and Baghdad, Basra, and Fao; nesting between Museyib and Baghdad and Fao [1, 43]; Baghdad [3]; Khanaqin [4, 5, 9], and arid plains of Central Iraq [10].

Recent records: Zurbatiya, Mandli, Mahmmodiya, Desert of Al-Najaf, Kalar, Dalmaj, Falluja, and Haditha.

Syria

Status: Resident breeding. Widespread in all regions except for the dry areas of Al-Badia. But especially along the Euphrates Valley and coastal forests. It inhabits almost

**Figure 5.** *Distribution of Western barn owl Tyto alba in Iraq and Syria.*

all types of habitats, including farms, trees, deserted buildings, mountain slopes, granaries, caves entrances, and other suitable habitats.

Literature records: Qal'at Al-Hosson [44], Qal'at er-Rahba, Zalabiyyeh, Qal'at Sheizar, Palmyra [45], Qal'at Al-Hosson [46], Dura Europus, Busra, Sabkhat al-Jabbul, Kharabow, Jubb Ramlah, Maskana, Deir Al-Hajar [22], el-Ukersheh, Halabiyyeh, Tell Al-Buderi [47], Tell Mardiekh [48], Yabroud, Qal'at Al-Hosson, Qal'at Salah ad-Din [24], Halabiyyeh, Tell Al-Buderi [49], es-Salihiyyeh, Qal'at er-Rahba, Halabiyyeh, Qal'at Al-Madiq, Tell Al-Buderi, Qal'at Al-Hosson, el-Ukersheh [33], Lake Assad, Dura Europus, Tell Brak [27], Mzeirib, Khrab Al-Shaham, Kharabow [50], Aleppo [51], Yahmool [20], Jub Al-Ghar [52], Busra, es-Salihiyyeh, Qal'at er-Rahba, Zalabiyyeh, Al-Bas'ah, Mari, Al-Marashdeh, Deir Mama, Qal'at Sheizar, Al-Hasaka [28], Ain Jum'aa, Al-Misrab, Qal'at er-Rahba, Qal'at Najim, ez-Zawe [53], Mzeirib, Ain Thakar, Busra, Daraa Dam, Khrab Al-Shaham, es-Salihiyyeh, Ain Jum'aa, Al-Misrab, Qal'at er-Rahba, Zalabiyyeh, Karahta, Kharabow, Sbieneh, Jarablus, Qal'at Najim, Qasr Sallum, Tell Al-Amarneh, Tell Hadia, Yahmool, Al-Sqeilbiyeh, Qal'at Al-Madiq, Qasr Ibn Wardan, Shah Ranaz, Heymu, Tell Beydar, Atheria, Qal'at Al-Hosson, Ebla Ruins, Kafr Daryian, Tell Sandal, Qal'at Salah ad-Din, Jub Al-Ghar, Maseel (Nab'a) Al-Fawar, ar-Raqqa 10 km S of Euphrates, Beer Al-Hashem, el-Ukersheh, Qater Maghara, Qal'at Al-Marqab [17], and Abu Qubays [30].

Recent records: Abu Hardoub, Abu Qubays, Al-Bahlouliyah, Al-Furunlok, Al-Kadmous, Al-Mashqoq, Al-Qallou', Al-Shardoub Forest, at-Tanaf, at-Tebni, Daraa, Deir ez-Zor, Haweijt Saqur, Jaramana, Jnainat Raslan, Khan Sheikhoun, Muhasan, Palmyra, Salamiyah, Sanouber, Saraqeb, Se<sup>0</sup> lu, Slenfeh, Sreijes, Tartous, and Tell Al-Shaham.
