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Barred Owl

Barred Owl

Strix varia

Audubon Illustration

Audubon illustration of Barred Owl

John James Audubon, Birds of America (1827-1838). Public domain.

Range & Recent Observations

Barred Owlis a year-round resident and doesn't follow a migration flyway. See the Range tab for where it lives.

Last Spotted Near You

View on eBirdWikipedia

About the Barred Owl

The barred owl (Strix varia), also known as the northern barred owl, striped owl or, more informally, hoot owl or eight hooter, is a North American large species of owl. A member of the true owl family, Strigidae, they belong to the genus Strix, which is also the origin of the family's name under Linnaean taxonomy. Barred owls are largely native to eastern North America, but have expanded their range to the west coast of North America where they are considered invasive. Mature forests are their preferred habitat, but they can also acclimatise to various gradients of open woodlands.

Source: Wikipedia

Classification

Scientific name
Strix varia
Family
Owls
Order
Strigiformes

Similar species

Other members of the owls family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.

  • Balsas Screech-Owl Megascops seductus
  • Bearded Screech-Owl Megascops barbarus
  • Black-and-white Owl Strix nigrolineata
  • Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus
  • Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia
  • Central American Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium griseiceps
  • Cinereous Owl Strix sartorii
  • Colima Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium palmarum
  • Crested Owl Lophostrix cristata
  • Eastern Screech-Owl Megascops asio
  • Elf Owl Micrathene whitneyi
  • Eurasian Eagle-Owl Bubo bubo

Know when the Barred Owl turns up near you

Add it to your watchlist and draw an alert zone around the places you actually bird. Birdr checks eBird reports and tells you when one is seen inside it.

How rare bird alerts work →

Gear for spotting Barred Owl

Optics

Best Binoculars for Beginners

You don't need to spend a fortune. These four pairs will get you birding confidently on day one.

8 min readRead guide
Cameras

Cameras for Bird Photography

From phone adapters to dedicated rigs, here's what actually works for capturing birds in the field.

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Optics

Spotting Scopes for Distance Birding

Essential for shorebirds, raptors, and anything too far for binoculars. Our tested picks.

9 min readRead guide