Barred Owl Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesBarred Owl
Adult
Fairly large, with dark eyes and a yellow bill. Buffy below with dark streaks, and brown on the back with white mottling.
© Blair Dudeck / Macaulay LibraryOntario, November 03, 2020Adult
Upperparts are brown with mottling, and the tail is brown with white barring.
© Sean Fitzgerald / Macaulay LibraryMinnesota, January 30, 2017Adult
A large, stocky owl with a rounded head and no ear tufts. Song is a distinctive hooting described as “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?”
© mark daly / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, June 16, 2019Not all videos have sound
Juvenile
Juveniles are gray and fluffy with darker brown barring and mottling throughout.
© Tina Green / Macaulay LibraryConnecticut, May 03, 2017Adult
Often occurs as pairs throughout the year.
© Matthew Violette / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, June 07, 2016Adult
Mostly nocturnal, but sometimes active in morning and evening. Tends to sit quietly, swiveling head to listen for prey. Note round head and brown eyes.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryArkansas, March 01, 2005Not all videos have sound
Adult
Hunts for a variety of prey, including amphibians and fish.
© Louise Auclair / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, December 30, 2016Adult
Typically occurs in well wooded habitats, but will come to edges and more open areas.
© Scott Gibson / Macaulay LibraryOntario, February 04, 2017Adult
Typically conceals itself amid branches and foliage to sleep during the day. Sometimes discovered by forest birds and mobbed or scolded; their calls can be a good way to find owls.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, April 12, 2015Not all videos have sound
Adult
Flies with broad, rounded wings. Big head and flat face gives a blunt-headed appearance in flight that can help distinguish from hawks.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryArkansas, April 08, 2005Not all videos have sound
Similar SpeciesSpotted Owl
Adult (California)
Spotted Owls have brown underparts marked by white spots, lacking the brown vertical barring of Barred Owls.
© Max Leibowitz / Macaulay LibraryCaliforniaSimilar SpeciesGreat Horned Owl
Adult (Great Horned)
Great Horned Owls have yellow eyes and prominent ear tufts instead of the Barred Owl’s black eyes and rounded head.
© Tony V / Macaulay LibraryWashington, March 17, 2017Similar SpeciesAmerican Barn Owl
Adult
American Barn Owls are much paler than Barred Owls, with a plain or lightly spotted belly without the streaking seen on Barred Owls. They occur in more open country rather than forests where Barred Owls occur.
© Darren Clark / Macaulay LibraryIdaho, January 21, 2017Similar SpeciesGreat Gray Owl
Adult
Great Gray Owls are considerably larger and grayer overall than Barred Owls with yellow (not dark) eyes.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryQuebecRotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Owls(Order: Strigiformes, Family: Strigidae)
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