Barred Owl

Scientific Name: Strix varia

Category: bird

Barred Owl

Brief Description

A large, stocky owl with dark brown eyes and distinctive vertical barring on its breast, perched in a leafy tree.

Characteristics

Brownish-grey plumage with mottled white spots, dark brown or black eyes (unlike other large owls with yellow eyes), horizontally barred wings and tail, and vertically striped breast feathers.

Habitat

Mature deciduous and mixed forests, often near swamps, rivers, or dense wooded areas.

When to Find It

Year-round resident across its range; most active at dawn, dusk, and during the night, though sometimes active on overcast days.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Ecological Role

Acts as an apex nocturnal predator, helping to control populations of small mammals, rodents, and amphibians.

Easily Confused With

Great Horned Owl, which has prominent ear tufts and yellow eyes instead of dark eyes and rounded head.

Observation Tips

Listen for its characteristic 'Who cooks for you, who cooks for you-all?' call, and scan dense forest canopies or look for whitewash and pellets beneath trees.

Interesting Facts

Barred Owls are known to sometimes hunt during the daytime, especially when feeding young, and they have excellent hearing and silent flight.