The Barred Owl is a medium-sized owl known for its distinctive "hooting" call that sounds like "Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?" It has a rounded head with no ear tufts and features striking brown eyes, unlike the yellow eyes of most other owls. The owl's plumage is mottled with varying shades of brown and white, which creates a barred pattern on its chest and streaks on its belly, hence its name.
This species is predominantly found in dense woodlands across eastern North America, extending into parts of the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Barred Owls favor mature forests with large trees for nesting and roosting, often near water bodies like swamps, rivers, or lakes, which support a rich variety of prey.
Barred Owls are opportunistic hunters, feeding on a wide range of small animals including mice, voles, rabbits, birds, and even amphibians and insects. They hunt mostly at night but are not uncommonly active during the day.
Nesting usually occurs in tree cavities, and these owls often reuse the same site for several years. Unlike many other owl species, Barred Owls are relatively sedentary, staying in their territory year-round unless food scarcity forces them to move.
Owls are often thought of as creatures of the night, silently hunting in the darkness with their piercing eyes and ghostly flight. While it’s true that many owl species are nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night, not all owls fit this stereotype. Some... Read more »
When most people think of owls, one of the facts that often comes up is that they are nocturnal. Nocturnal animals are most active during the night, sleeping by day. While most owl species are nocturnal, not all are. Adaptations found in... Read more »
This is one of our most popular designs: cute Birdorable owls wear santa hats while perched upon candy canes. It is not something you would easily see in the wild, but we find it cute nonetheless. Our Santa Owls design is available on many different products including... Read more »
Halloween is just a couple of days away! If you're in desperate need of a costume then we may have the solution for you. Check out these two printable Birdorable owl masks! The faces of our cute Barred Owl and Barn Owl are here in larger-than-life... Read more »
