The Barn Owl occurs in a variety of habitats, ranging from farmland and villages to arid landscapes. Although found in Jordan, particularly in agricultural areas, it is not currently a resident in Wadi Faynan.

Due to the discovery of two leg bones in the WF16 excavations, we know that the Barn Owl was present in the region between 12,000 and 10,000 years ago. Considering that the Barn Owl usually prefers open lowlands with trees and other vegetation, this suggests the largely treeless landscape of Wadi Faynan had more vegetation than it does so today.

Leg bone from a Barn Owl found at WF16 that has been burnt within a Neolithic fireplace