Species Specifics: Barred Owl

Have you ever heard an owl calling, even during the day, that sounded like “Who, who, who cooks for you”? Well, that was a barred owl. Barred owls are quite vocal and sometimes you’ll hear them calling back and forth sounding like cackling monkeys!

Barred owls have barred upper chests and streaked bellies. Unlike the great horned owl though, the 21" barred owl has dark eyes and no ear tufts. Female barred owls, like most birds of prey, are slightly larger than the male and her voice is a bit more shrill.

Barred owls, quite common in our area, are nocturnal but sometimes you’ll observe them hunting during the day; their territory covers about one square mile. They eat mice, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, reptiles, amphibians and large insects.

Owl courtship begins in winter. In late February/early March they’ll nest in a tree cavity, abandoned hawk’s nest or a man-made box. The female incubates 2-4 white eggs for about 30 days. The babies remain in the nest 4-7 weeks. When they fledge, they are not able to fly so they crawl out of the cavity using their beaks and talons. They’ll spend the next few weeks perching on tree limbs – the young owls are often referred to as “branchers” at this stage. They’ll start to fly when they are about 12-15 weeks old. The parents will continue to feed them until late summer; in the fall they go off on their own!