How to Draw a Barn Owl (Easy Step by Step)
A barn owl is a fun first bird to draw because it is mostly big, friendly curves. You will build it from a curved head with ear tufts, two eye patches, two leaf-shaped wings and a small triangle beak. The huge round eyes do most of the work in making it look like an owl.
- Easy
- 12 minutes
- 7 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawing
In this article (7 sections)
How to draw a barn owl step by step
How to Draw a Barn Owl · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch this oval. It only shows where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase it at the end.
Step 2: Head top and ear tufts
Draw a wide, gently curved line for the top of the head. At each end, draw a small pointy triangle for an ear tuft, with a little dip in the middle between them.
Step 3: Sides of the body
Start just under each ear tuft and draw a long curved line bending outward and down. Make the two sides match, and leave the middle open for now.
Step 4: The face mask
Inside the head, draw two big rounded eye patches side by side that meet in a little dip at the top middle, like a heart shape. Curve each patch down and back toward the center, leaving a small gap at the bottom.
Step 5: Eyes and beak
Fill each eye patch with a big, round, solid circle. Between them, draw a small triangle with rounded corners that points down for the beak.
Step 6: Two wings
On each side of the body, below the face, draw a leaf shape that is rounded at the top and pointy at the bottom. Make the second wing match the first.
Step 7: Feet and branch
From the bottom of each wing, draw a curved line sweeping down and inward for the belly. Draw a straight line across the bottom for the branch, then add a bumpy foot on it under each curve and a short line below each foot for the legs.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your barn owl? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a fox or how to draw a hedgehog next.
Tips for drawing a barn owl
- Make the two ear tufts the same height by drawing the first, then matching the second to it.
- The face mask is the trickiest part. Draw the dip in the middle first, then curve each eye patch outward and around.
- Keep both wings the same size by starting them at the same height on each side and ending at a point near the bottom.
Free barn owl coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this barn owl coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your barn owl drawing
Try warm tan and white for the body, with a cream face and golden eyes. For a creative twist, color the owl in night-sky blues and add yellow stars around it.
Barn owl fun fact for kids
Barn owls have heart-shaped faces that help funnel sound to their ears, so they can hear tiny sounds and find mice in the dark.
Questions about drawing a barn owl
What shapes do I need to draw a barn owl?
You need a curved line with two small triangles for the head and ear tufts, two rounded eye patches for the face, two leaf shapes for the wings and a small triangle for the beak.
How do I make my owl look cuter?
Make the eyes extra big and round, and keep the beak small. A rounder, chubbier body also makes an owl look cuddly.
How do I draw the owl's feet?
Draw a straight line for the branch, then add a bumpy, rounded foot on it under each side of the belly. Two short lines below the feet make the legs.
