Barred Owl

Meet "Aurora" the Barred Owl! Aurora suffered head trauma which resulting in impaired vision.

About Barred Owls
(Information taken from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

A large owl of extensive woodlands, the Barred Owl is familiar for its distinctive "who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all" hooting.

Description

• Size: 43-50 cm (17-20 in)
• Wingspan: 99-110 cm (39-43 in)
• Weight: 470-1050 g (16.59-37.07 ounces)
• Large owl.
• Head round with no ear tufts.
• Eyes dark.
• Underparts whitish with dark streaks.
• Back gray-brown.
• Wings with dirty white barring.
• Ruff of feathers across upper breast barred.
• Bill dull yellow.

Sex Differences

• Sexes alike in plumage, female larger.

Immature

• Looks similar to adults.

Food

• Small mammals, rabbits, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates.

Range

Summer Range:

• Widespread resident east of Great Plains from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast and Florida. Also from southeastern Alaska southward to northern California and Idaho, and across central Canada. Disjunct populations in southern Mexico.

Habitat

• Forested areas, from swamps and riparian areas to uplands.
• Prefers large blocks of forest

Behavior

Foraging:

• Wades in water to catch crayfish.

Reproduction

Nest Type:

• Builds in cavities in deciduous trees or uses open nest made by hawk or crow. Also uses nest boxes.

Egg Description:

• Pure white.

Clutch Size:

• Usually 1-5 eggs.

Condition at Hatching:

• Helpless, eyes closed, covered in white down.

Conservation Status

• Increased greatly with historical deforestation of North America. No significant trend across North America, but some local increases and decreases.

Sound

• Resonant series of eight or nine hoots, "hoo-hoo-to-hoo, hoo-hoo-to-hoo-aw." Also raucous jumble of cackles, hoots, caws, and gurgles.

Our Other Educational Birds:

American Kestrel
Bald Eagle
Barn Owl
Barred Owl
Great Blue Heron
Great Horned Owl
Peregrine Falcon
Red Tailed Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Rough Legged Hawk
Snowy Owl
Screech Owl
Trumpeter Swan
Turkey Vulture

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