Barred Owl
Strix varia
Unlike most North American owls which have yellow eyes, the Barred Owl has distinctive, soulful dark brown eyes.
- Scientific name
- Strix varia
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Strigiformes › Strigidae › Strix
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- increasing
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Large blocks of mature deciduous and mixed forests, often near water or wooded swamps.
- Diet
- Opportunistic predator of small mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates.
- Range
- North America, Canada, United States, Mexico
- Size
- Wingspan of 39-43 inches; weight of 1.1-2.3 lbs.
- Lifespan
- 10 to 15 years in the wild
- Active
- nocturnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation and secondary poisoning from consuming rodents that have ingested pesticides.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless but defensive near nests. Maintain a distance of at least 20 feet. If an owl swoops, cover your head and calmly leave the area. Do not handle injured owls with bare hands; call a wildlife rehabilitator.
The barred owl ( Strix varia ), or northern barred owl or hoot owl , is a true owl native to eastern North America. Adults are large, and are brown to grey with barring on the chest. Barred owls have expanded their range to the west coast of the United States, where they are considered invasive. Mature forests are their preferred habitat, but they are also found in open woodland areas. Their diet consists mainly of small mammals, but...
Photo: Bill Majoros, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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