Barred Owls!
The first time I heard Barred Owls was on a camp-out. Two of them were trading calls in the middle of the night from each side of a wide field. The sound was positively eerie! And two times in the last week, I’ve heard a Barred Owl calling at about 4:30 a.m in my back yard. Now that I know what I’m hearing, it’s more fascinating than frightening! The Barred Owl’s most typical call, and the only one I’ve heard, has been described as a hooting, “who-cooks…who-cooks-for-you-all” with a drawn-out, decending “all” at the end. But many other vocalizations have been recorded. And of all the owls, he’s the one most likely to be heard in the daytime, although I’ve only heard them in the dark of night.
Barred Owls are mainly nocturnal and hide their daytime roosts extremely well. They’re good-sized at about 21 inches long, with dark barring on the upper chest—hence their name—and a streaked breast. They have a round face with no ear tufts and they have dark eyes while most owls’ eyes are yellow. Interestingly, the owl’s ears are placed at different levels in it’s head to help determine if sounds are 
coming from above or below. And although an owl’s head has a great range of motion, it’s a myth that they can turn their heads completely around.
coming from above or below. And although an owl’s head has a great range of motion, it’s a myth that they can turn their heads completely around. Like all owls, Barred Owls are carnivores and eat mammals such as mice, rabbits, bats, fish and snakes. They eat the entire animal and in the process, they swallow a lot of material they can’t digest, such as bones and fur. These are regurgitated in the form of a pellet. If you find these pellets under a tree, you’ll most likely discover an owl’s roosting spot above. Barred Owls are found in the eastern half of the U.S. and up into western Canada. As they progress westward, they have been blamed for usurping nesting sites of the Spotted Owl and also hybridizing with them, leading to lower populations of Spotted 
Owls. But the Barred Owl has it’s own problems—one of it’s major predators is the aggressive Great Horned Owl.
Owls. But the Barred Owl has it’s own problems—one of it’s major predators is the aggressive Great Horned Owl. Barred Owls hardly ever build their own nests. They like to nest in tree holes that are caused by large fallen-off limbs, and in areas with abundant water. Their nests are sparsely lined with feathers or grasses. Barred Owls will also nest in abandoned crow’s nests or squirrel dreys. A pair will stay together in the same territory thoughout the year spending the winter together and using the same nesting site in spring. After the young have fledged, they stay with the parents for a long time and the parents continue to feed them as they learn to hunt for themselves.
So listen in the night for the sound of the Barred Owl and keep a watch for telltale pellets when you’re walking in the woods. Someday you may be lucky enough to spot this noisy, but secretive owl.
--R. Brune
Duncraft, Inc. 102 Fisherville Road Concord NH 03303
800-593-5656
- Posted at Wednesday, November 18, 2009 08:04 AM
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Have barred owls outside our windows dailey. Two presently doing the mating deal. Great birds, and let us approach them within 5-6 feet. They looked at you as if you really are not a big deal.
Posted by Mike Cox on Thursday, January 27, 2011 09:20 PM
I have been photographing a male Barred owl for the past 5 days at all hours of the day! I have seen the female fly just above me, but I haven't gotten her pic. He seems totally unintiminated by my presense.
Posted by Patti on Thursday, February 24, 2011 06:32 AM
Patti, if you get some nice pics, post them on Duncraft's Facebook Page. Our Fans would love to see them. Also, we have a new blog now that you might want to visit:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Duncraft/132225854306?ref=ts
http://blog.duncraft.com/ All the same articles are there
Posted by Roxanne Brune--Duncraft on Thursday, February 24, 2011 08:39 AM
I have a barred owl outside my garage and it wont fly away. I seen it fly about 20 feet. I can walk right up to it. Should I just let it be, its just sitting on a log. Any ideas?
Posted by dan on Tuesday, March 15, 2011 07:51 PM
Back in November of 2010, I saw an owl flying right by my back porch, and it landed in a tree about 25 feet away from me. I think it was a barred owl, but I'm not sure. It never made a sound, and it hid quite nicely in that tree, almost to the point to where I had to do a double-take to make sure it was still there. I have two cats, and I let them out on the back porch while I have my morning coffee; and this owl kept flying by (very close), so I'm worried about my cats, I hope unnecessarily. I live in Springfield, Virginia, and in our area we have a lot of wildlife such as deer, bobcats, owls and the like. I hope I get some pictures of this particular owl, but I haven't seen him or her since early December.
Posted by Springfield, Virginia on Friday, March 18, 2011 02:51 PM
We have at least one barred owl that lives in the woods behind our house. I'm thinking there are more because I hear them "talking" to each other. We no longer seem to be getting yellow finches at our feeder. Is the owl scaring them away?
Posted by Cathy on Thursday, April 14, 2011 03:04 PM
im pretty sure that owl is a barred owl. they usually hoot in november becuase of breeding depending on what region they live in. oh and barred owls are big up to 20 inches tall. so keep an eye on your cats. those kind of owls feed on small mammals.
Posted by maggiemad on Sunday, June 5, 2011 02:31 AM
oh and dan, if there is an owl on the ground and cant fly. u should give it some time to try to fly. if not, try helping it if it lets u touch it. if not, call the nearest wildlife and fish refuge. u might end up on the news paper. i no i did:)
Posted by maggiemad on Sunday, June 5, 2011 02:36 AM
I live in North central Texas and I am looking at one of these owls in my tree in the back yard. Very interesting, he appear's to be sleeping.
Posted by Dorothy on Friday, June 17, 2011 08:55 AM
Well my husband located two more Barred Owls in the oak tree amazing. I have been trying to get some good pics of them, and a video of them, sure wish I could get just a little closer to them.I hope they stay, heard they are good luck, I sure hope that's true!
Posted by Dorothy on Friday, June 17, 2011 10:58 AM
Thought I'd share. Can't believe this myself my husband spotted in our trees a Barred Owl, and latter a pair also in the oak tree. I have been watching them and trying to take some pics. Amazing to watch them.
Posted by Dorothy on Friday, June 17, 2011 04:03 PM
I live in the St. Louis Mo. area. I have had barred owls every year. Lovek to hear the " who cooks for you" Mother Nature at her best
Posted by Diana on Thursday, August 25, 2011 08:41 PM
I have a pet cockatiel I put on the deck [in cage] a barred owl would like him for lunch, he attacked the cage... my bird went nuts,I observed this event was quite amazed about it! The owl is not scared of me as I approached quite close to take pics...after I took the pet bird in the house, quite AMAZING!!!!
Posted by BOB D on Thursday, September 22, 2011 01:44 PM
owls are cool
Posted by brenda on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 06:37 PM
Hi there! Love your photo's and page! We had the most wonderful experience living with these beautiful creatures. Their calls are quite haunting, I didn't know what I was hearing at first either. Now that I know I get really excited. :) Great blog!
Posted by Kadee on Monday, November 21, 2011 04:34 PM
I have heard owls calling for some time during the night. This afternoon around 4pm as a thunderstorm (Nov. 21, 2011) rolled in, I saw a Barred Owl fly from the trees and creek across the street. It perched on my power lines, and it let me study him for a while. Then, tired of me, he flew back to the trees and creek. Since I studied him so thoroughly, I was able to recognize him as a Barred Owl. He lives in the city of Greenville, SC-a city owl. What a neat experience!
Posted by L Forrester on Monday, November 21, 2011 06:00 PM
If you love owls, there is a great children's book called Owl Moon. It won some awards, and it has been around at least 20 years. I loved it as an adult, and I plan on being sure my new grandson has a copy.
Posted by L Forrester on Monday, November 21, 2011 06:02 PM
I drive a school bus in central Illinois and saw a Barred owl the past 2 days sitting on a fence of a residence right along a busy highway!! What an honor to have seen one of these magnificant craetures!!!
Posted by jennifer on Wednesday, December 7, 2011 08:17 PM
We live in Conn.in a wooded area.We have a Barred Owl that visits us on a regular basis.I actually saw him take a bird near the feeder. He spent the rest of the day sleeping.This lasted nearly four hours before He decided to fly away.He returned the next day.Sat in a tree near the feeder,but never made any attempt to go after the birds or squirrels.These birds are great to look at and also very interesting.
Posted by Don on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 12:01 PM
It was 2 years ago, me and my mother went outside to check on our bird feeder, and we saw a baby that look strangely like this Barred Owl. Taking butt-loads of pictures, we kept it as a good memory. The baby flew off, and last year((This gives the owl time to Grow)) In Mid July, this Barred Owl came to our fences, and watched over us. My mom rushed out suddenly and took pictures. 6-8 Months Later, we realized the type of bird, and that it was good-luck. We don't live in the eastern U.S, but in the South. In a suburb city in Texas. Euless, TX. So, I wonder what this little wonder has in store for us. We're just glad we spotted this amazing creature!
Posted by Horo on Thursday, March 22, 2012 07:58 PM