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Barred Owl

Strix variaOrder: STRIGIFORMESFamily: True Owls (Strigidae)
Barred Owl Head Illustration

Head

  • Bill Shape: Hooked
  • Eye Color: Dark brown or brown-black.
  • Head Pattern: Special (unique patterns or features)
  • Crown Color: Buff-white with dark spotting.
  • Forehead Color: Buff-white with dark spotting and dark concentric rings around eyes.
  • Nape Color: Buff-white with dark spotting.
  • Throat Color: Brown with buff-white bars.
  • Cere color: Yellow
Barred Owl Body Illustration

Body

  • Length Range: 43-61 cm (17-24 in)
  • Weight: 635 g (22.4 oz)
  • Size: Size 4. Large (16 - 32 in)
  • Color: White, Brown, Buff
  • Underparts: Buff-white with dark brown bars on breast and dark brown streaking on belly.
  • Upperparts: Brown with buff-white spotting.
  • Back Pattern: Mottled
  • Belly Pattern: Striped or streaked
  • Breast Pattern: Barred or banded
Barred Owl Flight Illustration

Flight

  • Flight Pattern: Slow steady shallow wing beats., Short flights.
  • Wingspan Range: 127-152 cm (50-60 in)
  • Wing Shape: Broad-Wings
  • Tail Shape: Notched Tail
  • Tail Pattern: Brown overall with faint spotting.
  • Upper Tail: Brown with buff-white spotting.
  • Under Tail: Buff-white with dark bars.
  • Leg Color: Feathered in buff-white.
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Family True Owl (Strigidae)_blue
Species Strix varia
Length17 - 24 Inches
Wingspan55 Inches

Barred Owl

Barred Owl: Medium, large-headed owl with large, brown eyes, concentric rings around pale face, no ear tufts. Upperparts are brown with white markings. Underparts are white with dark bars on breast and dark streaks on belly. Heavily streaked, spotted, and variegated brown, white, and buff overall.

● Song: Clear-voiced, hooting/barking hoo hoo ho-ho, hoo hoo ho-hoooooaw.

● Foraging & Feeding: Barred Owl: Mostly nocturnal and crepuscular; feeds on a wide variety of prey, including voles, shrews, mice, rats, squirrels, young rabbits, bats, moles, opossums, mink, weasels, and some birds; also eats small fish, turtles, frogs, snakes, lizards, crayfish, scorpions, beetles, crickets, and grasshoppers.

● Breeding & nesting: Barred Owl: Nests in cavities or use abandoned Red-shouldered Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, squirrel, or crow nests. Lays two to three white eggs. Incubation ranges from 28 to 33 days and is carried out by the female; male brings her food on the nest.

● Similar species: Barred Owl: Great Gray Owl is larger, grayer, and has yellow eyes and longer tail. Spotted Owl has white spots underparts.

Flight Pattern

Slow steady shallow wing beats., Short flights.
Barred Owl Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Barred Owl: Widespread in the eastern half of North America; spreading westward in the northern portion of range, already occurring in Washington State, is causing concern that competition and hybridization may impact populations of endangered Spotted Owls. Preferred habitats include deep, moist forests, wooded swamps, and woodlands near waterways.
BreedingMonogamous, Thought to pair for life
PopulationWidespread, Very common to common
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight22.4 Ounces