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Typical Owls

22 Bird Species

Short-eared Owl

A mid-sized owl of open fields, often active at dusk. Stocky and rounded; tiny ear-tufts usually not visible in the field. Adult male is patterned buff and brown overall, with streaked breast, pale belly, spotted wings with orange-yellow primaries, pale face, dark eye-patches, and yellow eyes. Female more...

Length: 38 cm Wingspan: 96 cm

Snowy Owl

A large, mostly white owl of the far north. Stocky and rounded, lacking ear tufts, with glaring yellow eyes. Adult male is almost entirely white with scattered black spots on body, wings, and tail. Females are more heavily marked, and immatures are thickly barred and spotted with black; face is white more...

Length: 58 cm Wingspan: 132 cm

Spotted Owl

A large, dark-eyed owl without ear tufts. Adult has brown back with white bars and spots, brown underparts with white spots, round head, dark eyes, and greenish-yellow bill. Interior or "Mexican" populations are slightly paler than western birds. Sexes are similar. Barred has well-defined brown strea more...

Length: 44 cm Wingspan: 101 cm

Stygian Owl

A medium-sized, brown owl with a black facial disk and prominent white forehead. Two closely spaced ear tufts. Sooty brown upperparts. Buffy-white underparts with bold blackish-brown streaks and bars. Barred tail. Much darker overall than similar Long-eared Owl, which has rusty-orange facial disks wi more...

Length: 43 cm Wingspan: 107 cm

Western Screech-Owl

A small, yellow-eyed owl with ear tufts of Western North America. Adult is gray-brown overall with black streaks crossed by weak horizontal bars underneath, subtly patterned wings, gray face with black border, and dark bill. Some adults are more saturated brown, but no red morph. Sexes are similar. E more...

Length: 22 cm Wingspan: 51 cm

Whiskered Screech-Owl

A small, yellow-eyed owl with ear tufts, restricted to Southeast Arizona. Adult is gray-brown overall with thick black streaks crossed by heavy horizontal bars underneath, subtly patterned wings, gray face with black border, and dark bill. No red morph in North America. Sexes are similar. Eastern Scr more...

Length: 18 cm Wingspan: 44 cm

Non-vegetated Areas

1 species

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

Rimrocks and Mesas, Urban Landscapes, Suburban/residential Landscapes, Open Country and Grasslands, Deserts and Sagebrush Plains, Clearcuts, Boreal Forest, Oak Savannah and Woodlands, Eastern Deciduous Forest, Southeastern Pine-oak Forest, Western Confierous Forest, Dry Western Woodlands, Streamside Gallery Forest and Riparia

Salt Water

2 species

Short-eared Owl

Asio flammeus

Coastal Dunes, Fresh Water Marshes, Open Country and Grasslands, Deserts and Sagebrush Plains, Alpine Tundra and Meadows

Snowy Owl

Bubo scandiacus

Coastal Dunes, Fresh Water Marshes, Open Country and Grasslands

Human-altered Areas

5 species

Barred Owl

Strix varia

Suburban/residential Landscapes, Southern Wooded Swamps, Boreal Forest, Eastern Deciduous Forest, Southeastern Pine-oak Forest, Western Confierous Forest, Dry Western Woodlands, Streamside Gallery Forest and Riparia

Burrowing Owl

Athene cunicularia

Suburban/residential Landscapes, Open Country and Grasslands, Deserts and Sagebrush Plains

Eastern Screech-Owl

Megascops asio

Urban Landscapes, Suburban/residential Landscapes, Eastern Deciduous Forest, Southeastern Pine-oak Forest, Streamside Gallery Forest and Riparia

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

Western Screech-Owl

Megascops kennicottii

Suburban/residential Landscapes, Oak Savannah and Woodlands, Western Confierous Forest, Dry Western Woodlands, Streamside Gallery Forest and Riparia

Fresh Water

3 species

Barred Owl

Strix varia

Short-eared Owl

Asio flammeus

Coastal Dunes, Fresh Water Marshes, Open Country and Grasslands, Deserts and Sagebrush Plains, Alpine Tundra and Meadows

Snowy Owl

Bubo scandiacus

Coastal Dunes, Fresh Water Marshes, Open Country and Grasslands

Grassland and Scrubland

6 species

Burrowing Owl

Athene cunicularia

Suburban/residential Landscapes, Open Country and Grasslands, Deserts and Sagebrush Plains

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

Long-eared Owl

Asio otus

Open Country and Grasslands, Deserts and Sagebrush Plains, Boreal Forest, Eastern Deciduous Forest, Dry Western Woodlands, Streamside Gallery Forest and Riparia, Thickets