Barred Owl - Strix varia
Also known as Hoot Owl
Calls - Strix varia
The first description of a Barred Owl was published in 1799 by amateur
naturalist Benjamin Smith Barton. In Latin, "varia" is a form of the
word "varius", meaning diverse. It has also been known as Northern
Barred Owl, Swamp Owl, Striped Owl, Hoot Owl, Eight hooter, Round-headed Owl, Le
Chat-huant du Nord (French for "The Hooting Cat of the North"), Wood Owl, and
Rain Owl. It is also mistakenly known as a Bard Owl.
[For help with terms used in the description, see parts of an owl. For general characteristics common to most owl species, see owl physiology.]
Description: The Barred Owl is a medium-sized gray-brown Owl
streaked with white horizontal barring on the chest and vertical barring on the belly.
They are round-headed with a whitish/brown facial disk with dark brown trim. The eyes are
brown, and the beak is yellow and almost covered by feathers. They have a long tail. There
is no difference in plumage between males and the larger females.
Size: Length 40-63 cm (16-25 inches). Wingspan 96-125 cm (38-50
inches).
Weight 500-1050 grams (17.5-37 oz) (average male 617g, average female 779g).
Habits: A nocturnal bird. Hides in dense foliage during the day, usually high up. May also roost on a branch close to a broad tree-trunk, or in a natural tree hole. May be very aggressive when defending a nest.
Voice: The Barred Owl is a highly vocal Owl giving a loud and
resounding "hoo, hoo, too-HOO; hoo, hoo, too-HOO, ooo"
which is often phrased as "Who, cooks, for-you? Who, cooks, for-you, all?" - The
last syllable drops off noticeably. Like some other Owl species, they will call in the
daytime as well as at night. The calls are often heard in a series of eight, then silence,
when the Owl listens for a reply from other Owls. Other calls include "hoo-hoo, hoo-WAAAHH" and "hoo-WAAAHHH" used in
courtship. Mates will duet, but the male's voice is deeper and mellower. Many other
vocalisations are made which range from a short yelp or bark to a frenzied and raucous
monkey-like squall.
Hunting & Food: A very opportunistic hunter, a Barred Owl
can sometimes be seen hunting before dark. This typically occurs during the nesting season
or on dark and cloudy days. A Barred Owl will use a perch, from where it dives upon its
prey - meadow voles are its main prey, followed by shrews and deer mice. Other mammals
include rats, squirrels, young rabbits, bats, moles, opossums, mink, and weasels. Birds
are taken occasionally, including woodpeckers, grouse, quail, jays, blackbirds, and
pigeons. They also eats small fish, turtles, frogs, snakes, lizards, crayfish, scorpions,
beetles, crickets, and grasshoppers. Birds are taken as they settle into nocturnal roosts,
because they cannot catch birds on the wing. They will also swoop down to the water's edge
to catch frogs, other amphibians, and occasionally fish. Barred Owls are attracted to
campfires and lights where they forage for large insects. Prey is usually devoured on the
spot. Larger prey is carried to a feeding perch and torn apart before eating.
Breeding: Barred Owls calls year-round but courtship activities
begin in February with breeding occurring between March and August. Males hoot and females
give contact calls. As the nesting season approaches, males chase after females giving a
variety of hooting and screeching calls. Males display by swaying back and forth, and
raising their wings, while sidling along a branch. Courtship feeding and mutual preening
also occur. Barred Owls nest in cavities and will also use abandoned Red-shouldered Hawk,
Cooper's Hawk, Squirrel, or Crow nests. Eggs number 2-4 and are white, and almost
perfectly round, with a slightly rough texture. They are likely laid every 2 to 3 days and
incubation begins with the first egg laid. Incubation period is 28-33 days. The Male
brings food to the female while she is on the nest. The Barred Owl is single-brooded but
has a long breeding season, which allows for laying of replacement clutches if the first
clutch or brood is lost. When the young leave the nest, at about 4 weeks, they are not able
to fly, but crawl out of the nest using their beak and talons to sit on branches. These
Owls are called branchers. They fledge at 35 to 40 days. Once they lose their down,
there is no difference between adult and juvenile plumage.
Parents care for the young for at least 4 months, much longer than most other Owls. Young
tend to disperse very short distances, usually less than 10 kilometres (6 miles), before
settling. Pairs mate for life and territories and nest sites are maintained for many
years.
Mortality: Barred Owls have been known to live up to 32 years
in captivity and 10 years or more in the wild. Most deaths are likely to be related to man
(shootings, roadkills etc). Great Horned Owls are their only natural enemy.
Habitat: Barred Owls prefer deep moist forests, wooded swamps,
and woodlands near waterways. Territories are 85-365 hectares (213-903 acres).
Distribution: The Barred Owl is widespread in North America,
they occur across most of the eastern half of the continent from Florida northward to
southern Canada; they are also spreading westward in the north of their range. Their spread westward is causing concern as they may compete
with the endangered Spotted Owl Strix occidentalis. Northern populations may be partially migratory depending
on food resources.
Distribution of the Barred Owl Strix varia
Status: Not threatened.
Original Description: Barton, Benjamin Smith. 1799. Fragment of the Natural History of Pennsylvania, p. 11.
Subspecies:
S. v. varia,
S. v. georgica,
S. v. helveola,
S. v. sartorii
References:
Campbell, Wayne. 1994. "Know Your Owls (CD-ROM)". Axia Wildlife
Page Information:
Page compiled by Deane Lewis. Page last updated 2013-05-29
OwlPages.com Owl Species ID: 130.080.000
External Links:
Barred Owl at owling.com - Information, photos and sounds of the Barred owl from the owling.com website.
Barred Owl Vocalizations - Many different Barred Owl calls recorded and compiled by Bob Pearson.
Owl Sounds - Barred Owl calls recorded by Alan Dale Peschke.
Further notes: Sustainable living is a type of lifestyle that helps align the individual to be more in accord with nature. Having a Barred Owl around the property can help with sustainability by controlling rodents and their call adds to the natural ambience.
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Typical call
