What types owls are there

Most owls roost alone, or near a nest during the breeding season. However, there are a few species that roost communally, or share a roosting area with other individuals of the same species.

Although poorly understood, owls may benefit in one or more ways from sharing the same roost. The owls can watch for mobbing songbirds and predators.

They may also huddle together to keep each other warm. Shared roosts probably make it easier for owls to find partners during the mating season. Owls may even pass along information about good hunting spots. The roost is commonly located next to good hunting grounds so owls can search for prey as soon as they leave or return to the roost.

Late winter is mating time for most owls. Males begin seeking mates by calling through the afternoon and evening air. Generally, the large owls hoot and the small owls toot. The large Barred Owl hoots in a loud, low call that sounds like a question, "Who cooks for you?

Who cooks for you all? You can listen to the individual owl calls on our Owl ID pages. A female owl will listen for a call that interests her. She will only respond to calls from males of the same species. Once a male owl gains the interest of a female, he starts performing, or showing off.

He might display his feathers by fluffing them out. He might give the female gifts of food. Then he will fly up again and hang in the wind. He may repeat this dance several times, all in an effort to impress the female.

At the end of the performance, the male dives past the female into the grass. If the female follows him, the two owls may become a mating pair. Mating owls spend a great deal of time together. This gesture is called preening. Scientists think it reduces fighting and other aggressive behavior. It also helps owls keep their feathers in good condition.

Many owl pairs stretch their necks forward toward their mates and coo, as if they enjoy the preening session. Owls are talented hunters, but nest builders they are not. Many owls take advantage of the hard work performed by other animals, instead of building their nests from scratch. Some owls, like Great Horned Owls, use vacant nests in trees or on cliffs that were built by hawks, crows, magpies, or other birds. Many owls simply nest in holes, called cavities or hollows, in trees.

These tree cavities occur naturally, but are often created by woodpeckers. Elf Owls nest in saguaro cacti, where woodpeckers have created ready-made holes. Barn Owls typically nest in the rafters of barns, in empty buildings or silos, or in cavities along cliffs. Burrowing Owls live up to their name by nesting in underground tunnels that were dug by ground squirrels, prairie dogs, badgers, or other burrowing animals. Some Burrowing Owls use their feet and bills to dig burrows themselves.

Snowy Owls and Short-eared Owls "build" simple nests by scraping a shallow bowl on the ground. Scientists think male owls find and advertise a territory, but female owls select the actual nest sites. Together, the owl pair defends their nest. If local food supplies are low in a given year, owls may not breed there. But if enough food is available to feed a growing family, female owls lay one to fourteen roundish white eggs.

Females from different owl species lay different numbers of eggs. The Flammulated Owl has an extremely low-pitched call for its size. This is a helpful defense against predators who may be expecting a much larger owl. This small owl is more common than it was once thought. They are difficult to spot because of their size and ability to camouflage, and their tiny size.

Scientific name : Megascops trichopsis Length : 6. The Whiskered-screech owl is mostly found in Mexico. There is a tiny population that makes its home in the corner where Arizona and New Mexico meet.

This owl makes its home at higher elevations and stays in the treetops. It is considered to be a threatened species. Like the other Screech-owls, this owl has a very distinctive voice. Its call is described s sounding like Morse code. Though it can be heard, very few Whiskered Screech-owl nest have ever been found. Little is known about its behaviors because it is so rarely observed. Scientific name : Megascops kennicotti Length : 7.

Western Screech-owls are non-migratory and inhabit a large portion of the western United States, into Mexico. Their range includes a large portion of California, Nevada, New Mexico and other states in this part of the country.

Their habitat is in the trees, generally along canyons. They are not averse to living in the suburbs, or in the desert. The Western Screech-owl does not screech as the name suggests. They blend in well with trees, and during the day they will often be hiding in plain sight, disguised by the tree bark.

Scientific name : Glaucidium californicum Length : 6. The Northern Pygmy-owl is a permanent resident in the mountains of western North America. During the winter they move to lower elevations and often into areas more populated by humans. Despite this, they will not make use of nesting boxes the way other owl species do. Many raptor species cache their prey for later.

Northern Pygmy-Owls are one of these. They do not just cache their food in tree cavities or holes. They also hang their catches from thorns. These tiny owls are diurnal, and sit and wait for prey to come close enough for them to catch it.

Scientific name : Micrathene whitneyi Length : 4. Mainly found in Texas and Arizona, there is also a small population in New Mexico. They live in deserts nesting in woodpecker holes in cactuses, and in some woodlands. They migrate south and spend their winters in Mexico.

Elf owls are the smallest types of owls. They are threatened or endangered in the majority of their range. They are primarily insectivores, feasting on crickets, beetles, mice, and the occasional scorpion. Scientific name : Athene cunicularia Length : 7. Burrowing Owls are most common in the western half of the United States during the breeding months. There is also a significant population of burrowing owls in Mexico. They are at homes in deserts and grasslands, and true to their name dig a hole to make their nests.

Burrowing owls have a unique method of making sure food is available while nesting. Aside from caching behavior, they will also place animal dung around the entrance to their burrow before laying their eggs. The dung attracts insects to the burrow which they can easily catch and eat. Scientific name : Strix occidentalis lucida Length : inches Weight : The are 3 subspecies of this type of owl; the northern spotted owl, California spotted owl, and the Mexican spotted owl.

The habits of spotted owls are not very well known. We do know that spotted owls are naturally rare, and are now becoming endangered due to habitat loss. According to Partners in Flight , the global breeding population is estimated to be at 15, birds. Scientific name : Aegolius funereus Length : 8. These owls make their homes in mountain ranges. Boreal Owls nest in trees but will also make use of nesting boxes. Very little is actually known about these owls, since they are nocturnal and for the most part located at higher elevations.

It is not uncommon for the female raptors to be visibly larger than the males, Boreal Owls take this to the extreme. Female Boreal Owls can be twice the size of males. These true owls earned their name because their call is reminiscent of a saw being sharpened on a whetstone.

Due to their small size and nocturnal nature, these owls are heard but not frequently spotted. Northern saw-whet owls inhabit woodlands and feed on small mammals. The beautifully marked striped owl Asio clamator has distinctive ear tufts in addition to its black, white, and cinnamon-colored streaks.

This true owl can be found only in Central and South America. It has a huge range that includes marshlands, savannas, and woodlands. Comfortable at elevations ranging from sea level to 1, feet, these large owls roost in thick tropical foliage to avoid detection. The tawny fish-owl Ketupa flavipes is found in Southeast Asia and China.

These large owls are noted for their ear tufts, which droop to the side, and their widespread yellow eyes. As its common name suggests, this true owl species feeds on fish as well as other aquatic creatures. Inhabiting areas ranging from subtropical habitats to temperate forests, these birds are always close to rivers, lakes, and streams. A relative of the Eastern screech owl, the Western screech-owl Otus kennicottii is a true owl that can be found along western portions of North America down into Central America.

The Western screech-owl is most often found in open woods or at the edges of forests. The bird nests in cavities excavated and abandoned by woodpeckers. These nocturnal hunters are well camouflaged in their forest habitat thanks to their muted earth tone colors.

The large, orange-faced spotted wood-owl Strix seloputo can be found in several distinct areas throughout Southeast Asia. A true owl, the spotted wood-owl lives in open forests or woodland habitats and can usually be found near water. It has striped coloration that helps it hide in shaded canopies.

This earless bird feeds primarily on small rodents, which it hunts from a perch. Also known as the Tengmalm's owl in part of its range, the boreal owl Aegolius funereus is found in the northern U. This true owl is mostly brown with distinctive white spots across its crown. Boreal owls nest in cavities in the subalpine and boreal forests they inhabit. Small nocturnal hunters, boreal owls hunt small mammals, birds, and insects from perches. Animal Diversity Web. BirdLife International.

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