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Barred Owl

Strix variaOrder: STRIGIFORMES Family: True Owls (Strigidae)
Codes: Common Name: BADO Scientific Name: STRVAR ITIS Taxonomic No.: 177921
Least Concern
 
Barred Owl
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Hex shaped nectar feeds several Orioles. Nectar kept in fridge.
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Overview

Barred Owl: Medium, large-headed owl with large, brown eyes, concentric rings around pale face, no ear tufts. Upperparts are brown with white markings. Underparts are white with dark bars on breast and dark streaks on belly. Heavily streaked, spotted, and variegated brown, white, and buff overall.

Range and Habitat

Barred Owl: Widespread in the eastern half of North America; spreading westward in the northern portion of range, already occurring in Washington State, is causing concern that competition and hybridization may impact populations of endangered Spotted Owls. Preferred habitats include deep, moist forests, wooded swamps, and woodlands near waterways.

Topo Map: Owl-like Body


Listen to Call

Similar Sounding

Voice Text

" hoo hoo ho-ho, hoo hoo ho-hoooooaw"

Interesting Facts

 The Barred Owl has brown eyes, not yellow as seen in most other owl species.
 
 A Sparred Owl is the result of a Barred Owl mating with its smaller cousin, the Spotted Owl.
 
 Some Barred Owls have pink belly feathers, perhaps from a diet rich in crayfish.
 
 A group of owls has many collective nouns, including "a bazaar of owls", "a glaring of owls", "a parliament of owls", "a stooping of owls", and a "wisdom of owls."


Bird Term Glossary



Author

Gary Owen Dick

Splitbar
Range Map for Barred Owl

Related Birds

Barn Owl
Burrowing Owl
Great Gray Owl
Great Horned Owl
Short-eared Owl
Snowy Owl
Spotted Owl
Boreal Owl
Northern Hawk Owl
.
Family True Owl (Strigidae)_blue
Species Strix varia
Length17 - 24 Inches
Wingspan55 Inches

Barred Owl

Barred Owl: Medium, large-headed owl with large, brown eyes, concentric rings around pale face, no ear tufts. Upperparts are brown with white markings. Underparts are white with dark bars on breast and dark streaks on belly. Heavily streaked, spotted, and variegated brown, white, and buff overall.

● Song: " hoo hoo ho-ho, hoo hoo ho-hoooooaw"

● Foraging & Feeding: Barred Owl: Mostly nocturnal and crepuscular; feeds on a wide variety of prey, including voles, shrews, mice, rats, squirrels, young rabbits, bats, moles, opossums, mink, weasels, and some birds; also eats small fish, turtles, frogs, snakes, lizards, crayfish, scorpions, beetles, crickets, and grasshoppers.

● Breeding & nesting: Barred Owl: Nests in cavities or use abandoned Red-shouldered Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, squirrel, or crow nests. Lays two to three white eggs. Incubation ranges from 28 to 33 days and is carried out by the female; male brings her food on the nest.

● Similar species: Barred Owl: Great Gray Owl is larger, grayer, and has yellow eyes and longer tail. Spotted Owl has white spots underparts.

Flight Pattern

Slow steady shallow wing beats., Short flights.
Barred Owl Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Barred Owl: Widespread in the eastern half of North America; spreading westward in the northern portion of range, already occurring in Washington State, is causing concern that competition and hybridization may impact populations of endangered Spotted Owls. Preferred habitats include deep, moist forests, wooded swamps, and woodlands near waterways.
BreedingMonogamous, Thought to pair for life
PopulationWidespread, Very common to common
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight22.4 Ounces
Owl-like BodyX
UnderpartsX
Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.
UpperpartsX
Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.
BellyX
The ventral part of the bird, or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast. Flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast.
BreastX
The upper front part of a bird.
FaceX
The front part of the head consisting of the bill, eyes, cheeks and chin.
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

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ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

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Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX