Barred Owl

Barred Owl (Strix varia) is in the Typical Owls family (Strigidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 62,343 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

When to photograph Barred Owl: observations by month (U.S.)

About Barred Owl

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...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Barred Owl by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Typical Owls)

Great Horned OwlBubo virginianus

Eastern Screech-OwlMegascops asio

Burrowing OwlAthene cunicularia

Western Screech-OwlMegascops kennicottii

Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus

Snowy OwlBubo scandiacus

Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus

Long-eared OwlAsio otus

Photography tips

• Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
• Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
• Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
• Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.

FAQ