Birds › Backyard › Barred Owl

Barred Owl

Strix varia

Spread west across Canada in the 1900s and now lives in Pacific Northwest forests, where it pushes out the rarer Spotted Owl.

In your real yard: Big old trees and wooded streams, also in leafy suburbs. Listen for its hooting at night.

Spot it in the game

Lives in the Backyard habitat (Eastern North America).

Barred Owl facts

Family

Owls

Length

19 in (48 cm)

Wingspan

42 in (107 cm)

Weight

25 oz (700 g)

Diet

Mice, voles, rabbits, frogs, crayfish and other small animals.

Range

Eastern North America, and across Canada into the Pacific Northwest.

Nest

A tree hole or an old hawk or squirrel nest.

Song

Rich hooting: "Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?"

Active

at dusk and at night

Status

Least Concern on the IUCN Red List: widespread and not at risk.

What the Barred Owl sounds like

More: bird songs and calls, birds at night.

More birds of the backyard

Northern CardinalBackyardBlue JayBackyardAmerican GoldfinchBackyardAmerican RobinBackyardBlack-capped ChickadeeBackyardTufted TitmouseBackyard