The barn owls, separated from the true owls (Strigidae), have large heads and heart-shaped facial disks. They are absent from North America, Saharan Africa and large areas of Asia, though they inhabit a wide range of habitats from temperate latitudes to the tropics. Most species, including the familiar Barn Owl (T. alba), are in the genus Tyto, but the genus Phodilus contains the bay owls, which tend to be smaller, possess ear tufts and have a divided facial disk.