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From today's featured article
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The barn owl (Tyto alba) is the most widely distributed species of owl, and one of the most widespread of all birds. It is found in most parts of the world, with one major lineage in the New World, one in Australasia, and another in Eurasia and Africa. The 28 subspecies, between 33 and 39 cm (13 and 15 in) in length, have wingspans ranging from 80 to 95 cm (31 to 37 in). Their colours vary, but most have mottled grey or brown plumage and paler underparts, with a white, heart-shaped face. The barn owl relies on acute hearing to detect small mammals and other prey, hunting almost exclusively at night. It does not hoot, but utters an eerie, drawn-out shriek. It mates for life unless one of a pair dies, when a new pair bond may be formed. The nest is in a hollow tree, old building or cliff; the female does all the incubation, and she and the young chicks rely on the male for food. When large numbers of small prey are available, barn owl populations can expand rapidly. Globally, the species is not threatened, except for some subspecies with restricted ranges. (Full article...)
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Did you know...
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![César Camacho Quiroz in 2015](https://cdn.statically.io/img/upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/C%C3%A9sar_Camacho_.jpg/120px-C%C3%A9sar_Camacho_.jpg) César Camacho Quiroz in 2015
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In the news
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![Alexander Van der Bellen in 2006 and Norbert Hofer in 2007](https://cdn.statically.io/img/upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/Alexander_Van_der_Bellen_and_Norbert_Hofer.png/120px-Alexander_Van_der_Bellen_and_Norbert_Hofer.png) Alexander Van der Bellen (left) and Norbert Hofer (right)
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On this day...
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Today's featured picture
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The Pont du Gard is an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge that crosses the Gardon River in southern France. Located near the town of Vers-Pont-du-Gard, the bridge is part of the Nîmes aqueduct built in the first century AD to carry water from a spring at Uzès to the Roman colony of Nemausus (Nîmes). Because of the uneven terrain between the two points, the mostly underground aqueduct followed a long, winding route that called for a bridge across the gorge of the Gardon River. The Pont du Gard is the highest of all elevated Roman aqueducts, and, along with the Aqueduct of Segovia, one of the best preserved.
Photograph: Benh Lieu Song
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