What is a Barred Owl?

The barred owl, or Strix varia, is a medium-sized predatory bird that inhabits dense forests and wooded swamps in North America. Barred owls were named for their striped plumage. They are very vocal birds with a distinctive hooting call, and they prey on several species of insects, small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.

Barred owls weigh between 1 pound and 1.5 pounds (about 0.4 kg to 0.7 kg) and measure between 16 inches and 25 inches (about 40 cm to 63 cm). Their wingspans range from 38 inches to 50 inches (about 96 cm to 127 cm). Females are typically larger than males.

The feathers of barred owls are mainly gray or brown with white vertical streaks on the belly and white horizontal streaks on the back and neck area. They lack the ear tufts, yellow eyes and dark beaks that are characteristic of their natural enemy, the great horned owl. Barred owls instead have dark brown eyes and yellow beaks. The fringed edges of their feathers allow them to fly silently when hunting.

Barred owls make very loud vocalizations to communicate with each other, especially during the mating season in February and March. They use tree hollows, nesting boxes, or the empty nests of animals such as squirrels and red-shouldered hawks to lay their eggs. They usually use the same nest several times. Females typically lay from two to three white eggs at a time and incubate them for up to 33 days. Young owlets leave the nest when they’re around 4 weeks old and learn to fly between the ages of 6 weeks to 9 weeks.

The range of the barred owl extends from the eastern half of the United States to the U.S. Pacific Northwest, southern Canada and parts of Mexico. They seek out mature woodlands and swampy forest areas for roosting. The size of a barred owl’s territory ranges from 213 acres to 903 acres (0.8 km² to 3.6 km²), depending on the distribution of prey.

They generally search for prey over farmland, rivers, open fields and roads. Barred owls are nocturnal and hunt by diving from perches to catch rodents, woodchucks, insects, frogs, fish, and lizards. They also feed on birds that roost at night. They swallow their food whole and regurgitate the parts that can’t be digested as pellets.

Barred owls are considered beneficial to the ecosystems in which they live. Their feeding habits help reduce the insect and rodent populations that threaten to destroy crops. They do pose a potential problem, however, for the endangered spotted owl populations in the Pacific Northwest, where they compete for prey and territory.

The average lifespan of a wild barred owl is roughly 18 years. The highest mortality rates occur during the first year of life, when owlets are preyed on by other animals. Other causes of death include being shot by hunters and killed on roads.

A Barred Owl is a large North American owl with a distinctive call, often described as sounding like 'who cooks for you, who cooks for you all.' They inhabit dense woodlands across the eastern United States, with populations extending into Canada and the Pacific Northwest. These owls prefer mature forests with a mixture of deciduous trees and evergreens.

Barred Owls are easily identifiable by their brown and white striped plumage, which gives them their name. They have a rounded head with no ear tufts and dark, soulful eyes. Their hooting call is also a giveaway. Adult Barred Owls typically measure around 17 to 24 inches in length, with a wingspan of up to 44 inches.

Barred Owls are opportunistic hunters and primarily nocturnal. Their diet consists of small mammals like mice, voles, and squirrels, but they also eat birds, amphibians, and invertebrates. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, these owls hunt by waiting on a high perch and swooping down on prey with their sharp talons.

Barred Owls are monogamous and often mate for life. They typically nest in tree cavities, and the female lays 2 to 4 eggs each breeding season. Both parents take part in raising the young, which fledge at about six weeks old. The owlets, however, may remain with their parents for several months before becoming fully independent.

Barred Owls are currently not considered endangered. They are listed as a species of 'Least Concern' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, habitat loss and collisions with vehicles are significant threats to their populations. Conservation efforts focus on preserving their woodland habitats and monitoring population trends.

Barred Owls have expanded their range into the Pacific Northwest, where they compete with the threatened Spotted Owl. According to studies, the aggressive competition from Barred Owls has been a factor in the decline of Spotted Owl populations, leading to complex conservation challenges as wildlife managers work to balance the ecosystems.