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Nothing is more exciting than spotting an bird of night in your backyard if you live in California . These splendid birds of prey are a beautiful sight to behold . If you ’re an esurient birdwatcher , you ’re probably eager to identify which types of hooter are visiting your prop .
There are 12 owl species found in California , including the Flammulated Owl , Western Screech - Owl , Long - Eared Owl , Snowy Owl , Northern Saw - Whet Owl , Great Gray Owl , Burrowing Owl , Short - Eared Owl , Great Horned Owl , Barn Owl , Spotted Owl , and the Northern Pygmy Owl . While several of these owl specie have their preferred sexual union and migratory ranges , it ’s possible to pick out a vagrant or burst out bird of night in areas outside their known territories . If you see an owl in California that is not on this list , reckon yourself lucky !
Legend for the following owl rangemaps
The legend below can be used to help you find where each of the 12 owl of California know during different voice of the year .
The 12 Species of Owls in California
Flammulated Owl
Psiloscops flammeolus
Order : order Strigiformes
Family : Strigidae
Legend for the following owl rangemaps
Size:6 - 6.5 in . ( 15 - 17 cm )
Though these owls only measure around 6 inches in length , they have a large wingspread for their size , measure 14 - inches from wingtip to wingtip . Their long , herculean wings enable them to take flight quickly between the treetops of their forest homes . These owls eat bug almost alone , prefer moths and butterflies above other insects . In fact , this proclivity for insect may account for why these owls migrate to the south during the winter months . Flammulated owls are monogamous , choosing one married person for life . Mated pairs produce 2 to 4 owlet at a time in nest that are not lined with any sort of bedding material . Unlike most owls , who prefer to keep to themselves , flammulated owl form loose colonies — in all probability for protection since they ’re so minor .
Featuring feathering in tone of gray-headed and brown with rust ruby tips along its wings , and classifiable flame - like markings on its face ( hence its name ) , this owl is incredibly well - camouflage . The best way to find a flammulated owl is by listening to its call . The flammulated hooter has a much lower - slant call than you would expect from such a humble owl . This acts as a defense mechanism , tricking possible predator into mean they ’re much bigger than they really are .
When it comes to track down flammulated owls , birdwatchers have their work cut out for them . Because these bird of night prefer to expend their fourth dimension perched on the big top of improbable conifers searching for germ , they can be unmanageable to discover . These birds migrate through west Texas and New Mexico and have a scattered breeding range that includes persona of California , Oregon , Washington , Idaho , Nevada , Utah , and Colorado , where they live from late April or other May to August .
Western Screech-Owl
Megascops kennicottii
Size:7.5 - 9.5 in . ( 19 - 24 cm )
These are pocket-sized hooter , maxing out at just 9 inch in length and with wingspan of rough 24 inches . But , do n’t get their small stature cozen you . These birds are serious predatory animal , regularly seeking out quarry many times their own size . While westerly screech - owls feed on rodents , small birds , earthworms , and other hemipterous insect , they ’ve also been seen preying on cony . Western screech - owls like to sit close to where limb meet the tree trunk , so they can huddle up against them in fiat to camouflage themselves from piranha and prey . These are opportunistic predators who care an easy repast , but , when determined , they will also chase their prey down , sometimes grab wench and insects midflight .
westerly screeching - owls look much like easterly screech - bird of night , with adult morphs in Great Plains , Mexican , Mojave , brown Pacific , and gray Pacific colorations . They have gray and brownish plumage with no hint of red ink . Western screech - bird of Minerva have belittled , pear-shaped head with capitulum tufts and lifelike yellow eyes . adverse to what their name would lead you to believe , western screech - owls ordinarily do n’t screech . alternatively , they practice short whistles and warble to communicate with each other .
These owls are highly adaptable , making their homes in a variety of regions , including deserts , grasslands , forest , and urban areas . you’re able to rule western screeching - owls all across the west coast , drift inward a flake to Idaho , Wyoming , Utah , Colorado , New Mexico , and parts of Texas . If you live in one of these regions , strain installing a nesting boxful to attract a westerly shrieking - owl to your backyard .
Long-Eared Owl
Asio otus
Size:14 - 16 in . ( 35 - 40 centimeter )
At 15 in in length and with an telling wingspread of 39 in , the long - eared bird of Minerva has been known to steal nests away from jay and crow to raise their own new . This somewhat elusive hooter can be knotty to observe , prefer to seek protection in dense timber . And , unluckily , its universe has declined 91 % since 1970 . Unlike most bird of night , long - eared owl are not very territorial and favor to rely on their disguise to veil from possible vulture . When confront , most long - eared bird of night but fly away . Because these birdie can be skittish , they can be tough for birdwatchers to track down . But if you are prosperous enough to spot a long - eared owl , keep your eyes pare for more — long - eared owls roost in group of 6 to 50 .
At first glance , the long - eared owl greatly resembles the great horned owl . But a closer inspection reveals that long - eared owls own a classifiable V - shaped feather radiation pattern on their boldness . The tufts of plume that make up their face disks surround bright orange oculus , devote them a surprised reflexion . The second lot of feather tufts sitting on top of their head give them their iconic long - eared appearance These are lanky birds that have tan faces with variegated feather in shades of brown , tan , hoar , and livid .
Long - eared bird of night hold out yr - round in Wyoming , Nevada , Colorado , Arizona , New York , Michigan , and Wisconsin . During the breeding season , these dame pretend far north to Montana , North Dakota , and Minnesota . These boo can be spotted in all but the southernmost portion of Florida , Alabama , Mississippi , Louisiana , and Texas . Long - eared owls prefer to live in open spaces that have dull clustering of scattered trees , furnish them with a safe place to try protection as they run for small mammal .
Snowy Owl
Bubo scandiacus
Size:20.5 - 27.9 in . ( 52 - 71 curium )
Snowy owls are the lowering bird of night , with adults averaging between 3 and 5 pounds . Their dense plumage make them weightier , but it also allows them to withstand the cold-blooded temperatures of the Arctic tundra . These are powerful birds at roughly 28 inches long with a wingspan of 57 column inch . They ’re aggressive , too , using their sharp talon and secure feet to defend their territories from marauder and competitors . These owls hunt almost exclusively during the daylight and can eat more than 1,600 lemming in a class . Their edacious appetite can have a devastating impact on their food for thought supply , but these skilled fliers are willing and able to fly south in search of prey . Snowy owl population have declined 64 % since 1970 due to illegal hunting and vehicle collisions , as well as climate variety .
Juveniles of the species have brownish and black markings over a base of white plume . As these birds age , they lose most of their markings . At due date , males will be almost virgin white , with females retaining some of their patternings . These bird of night have gruff voice and apply a diverseness of calls , the most frequent of which is a rhythmic “ krooh - krooh - krooh - krooh ” .
Snowy owls do n’t live in the United States all year long , however , they do winter in the northerly states . you may see snowy owls from Washington all the way across to Maine . In years when their favourite fair game was peculiarly limited , snow-white bird of Minerva were sight as far to the south as Florida , so it ’s possible to espy one of these beauties no matter where you are in the U.S.
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius acadicus
Size:8 - 8.5 in . ( 20.3 - 21.5 centimetre )
These owls are short and compact . At just 8 inches in length and with a wingspan of 22 inches , northerly saw - whet owls are among the smallest owls in the United States . Northern saw - whet owls like to predate on deer mice , using their astute beaks to deplume their prey into smaller composition , transgress up a single mouse into several meals . Because these owls are nocturnal , and because they ’re so small , they can be difficult to track . But their sharp cries make it easy to locate them in their woods homes . northerly proverb - whet owl are mostly lone creatures , only socializing with their mates . Females have been roll in the hay to have two mates , leaving the first to raise a brood with the second . These owls have porphyrin pigments in their feathers , and when illuminated with a UV light , the ventral side of the wing shows a atomic number 10 pinkish colour . This helps investigator determine an hooter ’s age .
name because its call sounds like a saw being focalize on a whetstone , byword - whet bird of night have small head and cat-o'-nine-tails - like faces with relatively large sensationalistic eyes . With rust - emblazon rear , breasts , and wings , northerly saw - whet owls have blot heads and classifiable Y - shape markings on their faces . These hooter expend a variety of vocalizations to intercommunicate . They ’re most well identify by their sharp “ too - too - too ” calls , which they use to pull in mates . The cries of northerly sawing machine - whet bird of Minerva are so loud that they can be discover intimately 1,000 foot away .
One of the most common owls in the U.S. , the northerly saw - whet prefers to dwell in heap forests . They can be found class - bout in California , New Mexico , Utah , and Colorado , and in the northeasterly land , Minnesota , Wisconsin , Michigan , New York , and all the path through to Maine . These owls can be seen in other territories , too , during non - breeding times . It ’s not unheard of to see northerly sawing machine - whet owls throughout the midwestern United States , include Kansas , Missouri , and Illinois .
Great Gray Owl
Strix nebulosa
Size:25 - 33 in . ( 63.5 - 84 atomic number 96 )
At 33 - inches recollective , great gray owls are the largest mintage of owl in the world in terms of length , with female person being slightly larger than males . These bird have an telling wingspan averaging around 5 metrical unit . But , even though this owl looks quite large , it actually is n’t that big — it ’s mostly feather . Unlike great tusk bird of Minerva , which can weigh up to 5.5 Irish punt , great gray-haired owl are pad out with heavy plumage and count just 3.75 British pound . Their light weight allow them to fly quietly as they scour the timberland base in search of solid food . Their asymmetrical capitulum possibility enable them to chase their prey while their powerful feet and talons can clear through densely - packed snow to seize rodents and low mammals tunneling beneath it .
With its gray feathers and haunting expression , the great gray bird of Minerva has also been dub the Phantom of the North . This sword to brown - hoar owl has a jet-black appearing with amber yellow eyes and large record ring them , give them an fittingly knowing expression . Just beneath the doll ’s beak lies a ashen “ bowtie ” that tapers to rounded ends . The peachy grey-headed owl uses deep , rhythmic “ whoo - whoos ” to guard its territory and communicate with its class .
Great hoar bird of night can be found year - rung in boreal forests in the northernmost states . Look for these beautiful fowl of prey in Minnesota , Michigan , Wisconsin , and New York . You ’re also likely to espy them in California , Oregon , Idaho , and even parts of Wyoming and Utah .
Burrowing Owl
Athene cunicularia
Size:7.5 - 9.8 in ( 19 - 25 centimetre )
These diminished owls experience in grasslands and comeupance where they enjoy feeding on dirt ball , small mammals , and reptiles . burrow owls are among only a fistful of owls that choose to hunt during the day , spending their nights gather off in their dens . When burrows are not uncommitted to them , these extremely adaptable snort make their homes in buckets , pipework , and tubing . Burrowing owls have a higher permissiveness for carbon paper dioxide than other birds , enable them to spend more time huddle up in a small blank space . These birds cleverly expend dung to carpet their lair , which invites insects to visit , providing the birds with an easy meal . tunnel bird of night have also been known to hoard shiny objects , such as nursing bottle caps , newspaper clip , and bits of tin foil .
Burrowing owls have long stage and an erect posture . They also have vivid chickenhearted eyes and although their red - dark-brown plumage resembles both the barred and boreal owls , the fact that they live on the priming coat makes it easygoing to differentiate between these mintage . burrow bird of night are fairly quiet , with male person producing high - pitch “ coo - coos ” to defend their territories and draw in mates .
As their name evoke , tunnel owls make their homes in underground burrows , commonly depart behind by prairie dog . you’re able to obtain burrowing owl year - round throughout the sou'-west , predominantly in California , Arizona , New Mexico , and Texas . However , this bird of Minerva ’s education range extends much further north , up to Washington , Montana , and North Dakota .
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeus
Size:14.5 - 15 in . ( 37 - 38 cm )
A Greco-Roman birdwatcher favorite , short - eared owls hunting during the daytime and can be find throughout the United States . These owls are some of the few that favour to construct their own nests . Females construct their pipe bowl - shaped nest in the ground , lining them with plumage , locoweed , and other piano material before lay clutch bag of 4 to 7 eggs . Short - eared owls have very distinctive flight shape , with maverick wingbeats exchangeable to that of bat or moths . These birds are typically 17 inch in length and have wingspans of up to 43 inches . They expend their powerful wing to stay unsloped as they pounce foot - first to catch their prey , which consists of pocket-sized mammals , gnawer , reptilian , and amphibians . Short - eared hooter sometimes dine on songbird and will tear the annex off before swallowing them whole .
The ear tuft of the short - eared hooter are situated towards the center of their heads , and they ’re so short that sometimes they may not be visible at all . Short - eared bird of night have tawny feather on their back and wings with tan bellies that are interlard with vertical dark brown run . Tailfeathers are bar . These owls have small , round faces with pale tan to creamy white facial disks accent by disastrous - brimmed yellow eyes . Short - eared hooter apply sharp “ waowk - waowk - waowk ” calls to convey and “ eeee - yerp ” cries during the mating season .
Excellent long - distance fliers , short - eared hooter have been reported landing on watercraft hundreds of mi from shore . These birds will take flight over the ocean and land to reach their gentility ground in northerly Canada . you’re able to find short - eared owls living yr - round in the magnetic north and northwest portions of the United States . But , because they travel regularly , you’re able to spot straggler in near every state in the nation . These birds choose to lie in in open areas , include grassland , Ngaio Marsh , and farmland .
Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
Size:18 - 26 in . ( 46 - 63 cm )
Far from meek , Great Horned bird of night have been known to track down other birds of quarry , including ospreys , peregrines , and even other owls . With their strong talon , these birds can exert 28 - pounds of force allowing them to tackle larger quarry . Great orned hooter are a major threat to other birds , especially John Jay and crows . In fact , if you ever hear a magnanimous group of these birdie pull in a fuss , there ’s a good fortune it ’s because a great horned owl has scram too close to their nest . The great horn owl ’s plume is radical - soft , and this allow for the creature with several benefits . For starters , it protects them from the rough cold . But it also muffles sound , countenance them to fly wordlessly as they swoop down on their prey . Interestingly , although the females of the species are large than the males , females have higher - pitched spokesperson , and checkmate pairs often synchronize their calls .
The great horn owl is easily distinguish by a jibe pair of tufts on either side of its head , giving it a horned appearance . They have hoar to red - brown barred plumage and golden chickenhearted eye that do not move within the socket . These birds can rotate their heads 180 level to see and see what ’s going on around them . Facial feather platter help direct soundwaves to their ear , allowing them to get across their quarry , and their wide wing enable them to aviate dexterously , with serrate elementary feathers dispersing turbulence and subdued feathers muffling sound .
These magnificent bird of Minerva can be found in every state in the nation except Hawaii . These bird of night are native to the Americas , and they ’re highly adaptable , dwelling in forested , rural , and urban field likewise . While you ’re liable to see a corking horn owl just about anywhere , keep your optic peeled near wooded areas , specially along treelines as these snort wish to light near open athletic field to determine their fair game .
Barn Owl
Tyto alba
Family : Tytonidae
Size:12.5 - 16 in . ( 32 - 40 curium )
Easily recognise by their pale heart - shaped faces , barn owls are some of the most widespread owls in the world . These bird of night thrive in comeupance and grassland , but can even be found in polar regions . Barn owls are specially common on farms , where they like to hunt for champaign mouse among the crops in the morning and evening , and where they can take protection in barns during the daytime . With their serrate wing , these fearsome predators fly soundlessly as they go in for the kill . Barn owls are monogamous , mating for life . They do not build nest but prefer to lay their orchis in the hollows of trees . The amount of food these birds receive has a verbatim impingement on how many eggs they lay — the more vole , rats , and shrews they consume , the more owlet in their brood .
Barn owls are quite lanky compare to other bird of night . They have orotund hazelnut to dark-brown eyes localise in concave , heart - mold faces that are surrounded by a delicate schema of wan dark-brown feather . Barn owls are milk whitened in colouration with tan and rust brown feathers on their back and wings . These owls do not hoot but alternatively opt to pass via screaming .
you could find the barn owl in all but the uppermost realm of the U.S. Even though these birds are common throughout the nation , their population is dwindle down middling due to habitation loss . Barn owls reside year - round as far in the south as Texas and Arizona , as far east as Pennsylvania , and all across the Pacific Northwest .
Spotted Owl
Strix occidentalis
Size:17 - 19 in . ( 43 - 48 centimeter )
Spotted owls make their nest in hollow trees , rock crack , and old nests left behind by other birds of quarry . It ’s estimated that less than 15,000 of these birds remain in the U.S. and Canada , despite Union campaign to protect them . spotty owls are presently classified as near - threatened , and are dwindling at a steadfast footstep due to home ground loss . These hooter are “ sit - and - wait ” hunters , preferring to watch out for target from the safety of a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree branch , and swoop up down on it when they palpate the time is right . They feed on spermophile , squirrels , and deer mouse , as well as other low mammalian . When quarry is abundant , spotted bird of Minerva store caches of remnant in nerveless places , like fallen log or moss - compensate rocks . These owls use recondite hooting calls to communicate with each other when they hound at Nox .
Spotted owls have large , deep brown eyes . They ’re so morose that , from a distance , it can be hard to differentiate between pupil and iris . Often , all you see is a span of black spots peering out at you from beneath brown feather . These birds have wise to , round face , and ash tree - brown to crimson - dark-brown feather , with blank spots on their heads . Though their fag end and primary feathers are barred , chest plumage are spotted . Overall , patched bird of night are mostly brownish with very little direct contrast , allowing them to flux in well with their forest surroundings .
There are three subspecies of spotted bird of Minerva . Mexican blot owls can be construe throughout parts of the southwestern United States , including Arizona and New Mexico , while California descry hooter can be found in ( where else ? ) California . northerly spy owls experience throughout the Pacific Northwest , along the coasts of Washington , Oregon , and northern California . Spotted bird of Minerva loosely stay tight to house and be in these regions year - round .
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Glaucidium gnoma
Size:6.5 - 7.3 in ( 16.5 - 18.5 cm )
These hooter are a favorite among birdwatchers because they prefer to hunt during the daytime . This , coupled with their courageous nature , makes them easy to spot compare to more spooky members of the specie . Northern pygmy hooter are generally unafraid of humans , and will happily nestle in urban areas . This is likely due to the fact that humankind set up up bird feeder to attract songbirds — the northern pygmy bird of Minerva ’s preferent food . These owl ambuscade their prey and salt away their remnant on thorns and spikes to come back to later . Northern pygmy owls are such a menace to smaller Bronx cheer that wrens , jays , and even hummingbird will mob them to chase after them aside . Though these doll are only about as long as a butterknife , they ’ve been known to attack quarry much larger than themselves , let in chickens . Because northern pygmy bird of Minerva lack the essential facial disk take to amend auditory sense , they rely on their keen eyesight to track their prey .
At just 7 inches long , northerly pygmy owls are quite diminished , but do n’t let their size fool around you . These are elusive , dogged little Bronx cheer ! Adults are gray , brownish , or ruby - brownish in coloring material with white spotted headway and dark wings , rear end , and breasts . Like ferruginous pygmy owls , northerly pigmy owls have non-white spots on the backs of their caput that look like another set of eye . This help to bedevil both fair game and predators . The sound room to find a northern pygmy owl is to track its high - pitched honk calls .
These owls are pretty adaptable , incite into cityscapes as their native mountain forests become less available . Unfortunately , however , these hooter do n’t often make their place in nesting box , so these are an inefficient mean of attracting them . you could find northerly pygmy owls throughout the western states , in California , Oregon , and Idaho , and farther south in Colorado , Arizona , and New Mexico .
How to Attract California Owls to Your Backyard
While some owls , like the boreal owl and the whiskery shriek - owl , avoid humans and can be tough to detect , other owls , like the barricade owl and easterly and western shriek - owls , are much easier to attract .
Installnesting boxeson tree , poles , and fence to advance your neighbourhood owls to take up abidance on your property . Leaving encounter , wood piles , and previous lawn trimmings provides place for field mouse , field mice , hare , gophers , andsnakes . have plenty of these critter nearby is a surefire way to get your local owls ’ attention .
Because many owls wish to fee onsongbirdsandsquirrels , setting up a razzing feeder andgetting a bird bathcan also promote bird of night to pay you a visit . Of of course , some birds work to scare bird of night off . John Jay , crow , blackbirds , grackle , and starlings regularly mob owls , so take step to fright these shuttle forth — take down starling nest boxes , and remove cracked clavus and peanuts from your feeders , which are the preferred foods of these bird .
hooter love to posture on pole and in leafless tree because they make it easier for them to distinguish quarry . verify your owls have plenty of smear to perch on . you may also attract these birds by limiting your outdoor body process , especially in the early dawning and belated eventide hours when they care to trace . Together , all of these measures will avail your locality owls sense right at home in your backyard .
All State Owls
Want to see what owl species are find in other state ? Here ’s our terminated list of owls find in each res publica :
