The golden masked owl (Tyto aurantia) is a barn owl endemic to the island of New Britain, Papua New Guinea. It is also known as New Britain barn owl, New Britain masked owl, Bismarck owl and Bismarck masked owl. As with other tropical barn owls, it is difficult to spot in the wild and therefore poorly studied. It is likely to be a lowland forest or coniferous species. Golden masked owls are characterized by their brown, light-brown, and white feathered plumages along with their arguably most distinctive feature - their heart-shaped, bright white face. There is considerable variation in the exact weight of the species, but most birds range from 400 to 770 g, with heights ranging from 27 to 33 cm. The golden masked owl is a largely solitary and nocturnal species. Being mostly active at night, golden masked owls have developed a keen sense of hearing which is also common in nocturnal owl species. Golden masked owls are carnivorous and most of their prey is hunted on the ground with the majority of their prey consisting of small mammals such as rodents, other birds, rabbits, and insects.