We all love barn owls. They are pretty common and always have been known for their peculiar looks.

The black barn owl, however, is anything but common. And here are some pics of this adorable specimen.

Why are black owls black? They are black because they suffer from a rare gene mutation called melanism. It is exactly the opposite of albinism.

In the wild, the fate of a black owl is not pretty. More often than not, they are killed by their own mothers at a very young age as she rejects them due to their unique coloration.

If not killed by their mother, the black owls are let out into the wild. However, even in the wild, they are hunted and killed by other owls.

Owls hunt at night. And with the dark colour code, it would be next to impossible to spot a black owl even if one is coming right at you.

“They are a different colour and in nature, and especially with barn owls, it tends to be survival of the fittest. Black barn owls tend to be smaller [than normal barn owls] and sometimes they have problems with their vision and hearing,” says Ms. Manarin.