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Northern Hawk Owl
Surnia ulula
Audubon Illustration
John James Audubon, Birds of America (1827-1838). Public domain.
Range & Recent Observations
Last Spotted Near You
About the Northern Hawk Owl
The northern hawk-owl or northern hawk owl (Surnia ulula), is a medium-sized true owl of the northern latitudes. It is non-migratory and usually stays within its breeding range, though it sometimes irrupts southward. It is one of the few owls that is not strictly nocturnal nor crepuscular, often being active during the day. This is the only living species in the genus Surnia of the family Strigidae, the "typical" owls (as opposed to barn owls, Tytonidae). The species is sometimes called simply the hawk owl; however, many species of owls in the genus Ninox are also called "hawk owls".
Source: Wikipedia
Classification
- Scientific name
- Surnia ulula
- 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
- Barred Owl Strix varia
- 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
Know when the Northern Hawk Owl turns up near you
How rare bird alerts work →Gear for spotting Northern Hawk Owl
Optics
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Cameras
Cameras for Bird Photography
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