Owls
1. Elf owl:
A small, grayish owl with small ear tufts, yellow eyes, and greenish-yellow beak
Males: usually gray, but sometimes occurring in a rufous (reddish) morph; bold chest markings
Females: similar to male
Young: gray or grayish-brown with less distinct markings on chest; inconspicuous ear tufts
Height: Males 16-24 cm (6.3-9.4 in), Females 18-24 cm (7.1-9.4 in)
Weight: Males 166g (5.85 oz), Females 194g (6.84 oz)
Wingspan Both: 48-61 cm (18.9-24.0 in)
Unique vocalizations: screeches, barks, hoots, rasps, chuckles, whinnies
Males: quavering, low pitched descending trill, series of quavering whistles
Females: higher pitched; often duets with male
2. Barn Owl:
Adult Description
Call a series of four spaced notes with the two middle ones closest together, "hup, hoo-hoo, hooo."
4. Burrowing owl:
Adult Description
Songs: Song is a two-note coo coooo.
Calls: Gives series of rattles clucks, and chatters.
5. Great Horned Owl:
1. Elf owl:
A small, grayish owl with small ear tufts, yellow eyes, and greenish-yellow beak
Males: usually gray, but sometimes occurring in a rufous (reddish) morph; bold chest markings
Females: similar to male
Young: gray or grayish-brown with less distinct markings on chest; inconspicuous ear tufts
Height: Males 16-24 cm (6.3-9.4 in), Females 18-24 cm (7.1-9.4 in)
Weight: Males 166g (5.85 oz), Females 194g (6.84 oz)
Wingspan Both: 48-61 cm (18.9-24.0 in)
Unique vocalizations: screeches, barks, hoots, rasps, chuckles, whinnies
Males: quavering, low pitched descending trill, series of quavering whistles
Females: higher pitched; often duets with male
2. Barn Owl:
- Size & Shape These medium-sized owls have long, rounded wings and short tails, which combine with a buoyant, loping flight to give them a distinctive flight style. The legs are long and the head is smoothly rounded, without ear tufts.
- Color Pattern Barn Owls are pale overall with dark eyes. They have a mix of buff and gray on the head, back, and upperwings, and are white on the face, body, and underwings. When seen at night they can appear all white.
Calls: Barn Owls don’t hoot the way most owls do; instead, they make a long, harsh scream that lasts about 2 seconds. It’s made mostly by the male, who often calls repeatedly from the air. Females give the call infrequently. A softer, more wavering version of this is termed a purring call. Males use it to invite a female to inspect a nest site, and females use it to beg for food from the male. Barn Owls also make a loud, 3-4 second hiss at intruders or predators that disturb the nest.
Other Sounds: When agitated, Barn Owls snap their bill mandibles together. As part of a display flight, males sometimes clap their wings together once or twice.
Adult Description
- Large owl.
- Round head with no ear tufts.
- Dark eyes.
Call a series of four spaced notes with the two middle ones closest together, "hup, hoo-hoo, hooo."
4. Burrowing owl:
Adult Description
- Small owl.
- No ear tufts.
- Long legs.
- Short tail.
- Spots on back.
- Bars on front.
- Found on ground in open country.
Songs: Song is a two-note coo coooo.
Calls: Gives series of rattles clucks, and chatters.
5. Great Horned Owl:
- Size & Shape These are large, thick-bodied owls with two prominent feathered tufts on the head. The wings are broad and rounded. In flight, the rounded head and short bill combine to create a blunt-headed silhouette.
- Color Pattern Great Horned Owls are mottled gray-brown, with reddish brown faces and a neat white patch on the throat. Their overall color tone varies regionally from sooty to pale.
- Great Horned Owls advertise their territories with deep, soft hoots with a stuttering rhythm: hoo-h’HOO-hoo-hoo. The male and female of a breeding pair may perform a duet of alternating calls, with the female’s voice recognizably higher in pitch than the male’s. Young owls give piercing screams when begging for food, while adults may scream to defend the nest. Adults make an array of other sounds, including whistles, barks, shrieks, hisses, coos, and wavering cries.
- 1. http://www.owlinstitute.org/elf-owl.html 2. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Barn_Owl/id 3. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/spotted_owl/sounds 4. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/burrowing_owl/id 5. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/great_horned_owl/id