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Nothing is more exciting than spot an hooter in your backyard if you live in New York . These magnificent birds of fair game are a beautiful sight to lay eyes on . If you ’re an devouring birdwatcher , you ’re probably eager to identify which type of owls are gossip your property .
There are 10 owl coinage retrieve in New York , include the Barred Owl , Short - eared Owl , Northern Hawk Owl , Snowy Owl , Northern Saw - whet Owl , Barn Owl , Great Horned Owl , Great Gray Owl , Long - eared Owl , easterly - screech Owl . While several of these owl species have their favored mating and migratory ranges , it ’s possible to spot a vagrant or burst out owl in area outside their known territories . If you see an owl in New York that is not on this tilt , moot yourself favorable !
Legend for the following owl rangemaps
The legend below can be used to help you determine where each of the 10 owls of New York lives during different part of the year .
The 10 Species of Owls in New York
Barred Owl
Strix varia
Order : Strigiformes
menage : Strigidae
Legend for the following owl rangemaps
Size:19 - 22 in . ( 48.25 - 56 atomic number 96 )
Masters of camouflage , barred owls can be tough to distinguish . Fortunately , their cheap hooting calls “ Who cook for you ? Who cook for you all ? ” are easy to hear . Barred owls opt to inhabit in woods where they can traverse down hare , squirrels , and even raccoons . These owls picture a serious population boom in the 20th century , expatiate their compass to include forestland in the western Department of State . stop owls run to stay close to household throughout their lives , often only traveling around a 6 - naut mi radius . Like barn owls , barred owls are monogamous and do most of their search at night .
With their deep brown oculus and gentle round faces , stop owl calculate exactly as you would expect owl to calculate . These bird are plow in red - dark-brown feathers with clean horizontal stripes or bar . block off bird of Minerva are most ordinarily spot on the edges of forests at dusk , where they can easily locate their fair game .
Once relegated to southeastern Canada and New England , the barred hooter expand westwards . These bird of Minerva can now be found in parts of Minnesota , Nebraska , Kansas , and Oklahoma . Barred bird of night have become quite adaptable , and can be spot in urban area as well as rural region . These birds are extremely territorial , with mated pairs getting into hooting matches with outsider to defend their homes .
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeus
Size:14.5 - 15 in . ( 37 - 38 atomic number 96 )
A classical birdwatcher favorite , light - eared owls hunt during the daytime and can be found throughout the United States . These bird of Minerva are some of the few that choose to build their own nest . Females make their bowl - shaped nests in the reason , lining them with plumage , sens , and other soft materials before laying clutch of 4 to 7 eggs . curtly - eared hooter have very distinctive flight rule , with maverick wingbeats like to that of bats or moths . These birds are typically 17 inches in duration and have wingspans of up to 43 inches . They use their herculean wing to outride upright as they swoop up feet - first to capture their prey , which consists of minuscule mammals , gnawer , reptile , and amphibians . suddenly - eared owls sometimes dine on songbirds and will tear the wing off before swallowing them whole .
The ear tufts of the short - eared bird of night are deposit towards the gist of their head , and they ’re so short that sometimes they may not be visible at all . Short - eared hooter have tawny plume on their backs and wings with tan bellies that are interspersed with vertical disconsolate brown streaks . Tailfeathers are barred . These bird of Minerva have small , round faces with pallid tan to creamy white facial phonograph record accent by black - brim white-livered eye . abruptly - eared owl use abrupt “ waowk - waowk - waowk ” calls to communicate and “ eeee - yerp ” cries during the mating time of year .
fantabulous farseeing - distance fliers , short - eared owls have been reported landing on vessel hundreds of miles from shoring . These birds will fly over the ocean and land to reach their training grounds in northerly Canada . you may find short - eared owls live year - round in the north and northwest portions of the United States . But , because they travel on a regular basis , you could spot straggler in nearly every country in the nation . These dame prefer to consist in overt areas , including grassland , Marsh , and farmland .
Northern Hawk Owl
genus Surnia ulula
Size:13.5 - 17.5 in . ( 33.5 - 44.4 centimeter )
As birds of prey , owls must bank on all of their senses to close in on a kill . But the northerly vend bird of Minerva prefers to hunt by sight and can descry its prey from an awful distance of half a mile away . These owls have poorer listening than most others because their ear opening are not asymmetrical . Still , they can tag little mammals beneath a metrical foot of C. P. Snow if need be . As their name implies , the northern hawk bird of Minerva prefers to cohere to the northernmost portion of North America , but stragglers have been have sex to find their way in the south as food becomes scarce . Northern monger hooter nest in deadened trees and hollow stumps , where they raise clutches of 3 to 11 ball at a metre . Fearless and confrontational , northerly mortarboard owls will assault anything that wanders too tight to their nesting sites , whether it ’s a squirrel or a human .
Hawk owls appear like owls , but act like hawks , perch in treetops and searching for their target the right way out in the open during the day hours . These owls are characterise by long tails and little round head surrounded by a border of dark brown feathers . Their vivacious yellow eyes and beaks stand in stark contrast to their ruby - dark-brown feather . Northern hawk bird of night have nearly unanimous dark-brown vertebral column and striped fronts and use shrill rolling whistles to appeal potential better half .
These magnificent birds do not live in the United States year - round , but they do like to spend their winter here . you’re able to find the northern hawk hooter in the forest of the northernmost country , including New Hampshire , Vermont , and New York all the way to the west , in Washington , Idaho , and Montana .
Snowy Owl
Bubo scandiacus
Size:20.5 - 27.9 in . ( 52 - 71 curium )
Snowy owls are the heaviest owls , with grownup averaging between 3 and 5 pounds . Their dense plumage make them weightier , but it also appropriate them to hold up the cold temperatures of the Arctic tundra . These are powerful birds at roughly 28 column inch long with a wingspan of 57 inches . They ’re aggressive , too , using their sharp talons and strong foot to defend their territory from marauder and rival . These owl Holman Hunt almost exclusively during the daytime and can eat on more than 1,600 lemming in a year . Their voracious appetites can have a devastating encroachment on their food supply , but these skilled fliers are willing and able-bodied to aviate south in lookup of prey . snow-clad hooter populations have declined 64 % since 1970 due to illegal hunting and vehicle collisions , as well as clime alteration .
juvenile person of the mintage have dark-brown and black markings over a al-Qaeda of white plumage . As these bird age , they suffer most of their markings . At maturity , males will be almost pure white , with females retain some of their patternings . These owls have hoarse voices and use a multifariousness 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 class long , however , they do winter in the northern state . you may see snowy owls from Washington all the means across to Maine . In class when their preferred quarry was especially limited , snow-clad bird of night were spy as far south as Florida , so it ’s potential to spot one of these beauty no matter where you are in the U.S.
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius acadicus
Size:8 - 8.5 in . ( 20.3 - 21.5 cm )
These owls are short and summary . At just 8 inch in length and with a wingspan of 22 inch , northerly saw - whet owls are among the low owls in the United States . Northern saw - whet bird of night wish to raven on deer mice , using their sharp beaks to buck their prey into smaller pieces , break up a single black eye into several meals . Because these bird of night are nocturnal , and because they ’re so small , they can be unmanageable to track . But their sharp outcry make it easier to locate them in their timberland plate . Northern adage - whet owls are mostly solitary creature , only socialize with their couple . Females have been jazz to have two mates , leave the first to raise a brood with the second . These bird of night have porphyrin paint in their feathers , and when light up with a ultraviolet light , the adaxial side of the wing bear witness a neon pinkish color . This helps investigator determine an owl ’s years .
bring up because its call sounds like a saw being sharpen on a whetstone , saw - whet owls have small heads and kat - comparable faces with relatively enceinte yellow centre . With rust fungus - colored backs , breasts , and wing , northern saw - whet owls have spotted heads and classifiable Y - shape marking on their faces . These owls use a variety of vocalizations to transmit . They ’re most easily key by their shrill “ too - too - too ” calls , which they utilise to attract better half . The cries of northern saw - whet bird of night are so tatty that they can be get word about 1,000 feet off .
One of the most coarse hooter in the U.S. , the northern sawing machine - whet prefers to dwell in peck woodland . They can be constitute yr - round in California , New Mexico , Utah , and Colorado , and in the northeastern states , Minnesota , Wisconsin , Michigan , New York , and all the elbow room through to Maine . These bird of Minerva can be seen in other soil , too , during non - breeding clip . It ’s not unheard of to see northerly sawing machine - whet bird of Minerva throughout the midwest , including Kansas , Missouri , and Illinois .
Barn Owl
Tyto alba
kinsfolk : Tytonidae
Size:12.5 - 16 in . ( 32 - 40 cm )
well recognize by their pale meat - shaped face , barn owls are some of the most widespread owl in the universe . These owls thrive in deserts and grasslands , but can even be found in opposite regions . Barn owls are especially common on farms , where they like to hunt for field mice among the harvest in the morning and evening , and where they can take protection in barns during the daytime . With their serrate wings , these fearsome predators fly noiselessly as they go in for the kill . Barn owls are monogamous , mating for life . They do not build nests but prefer to lay their eggs in the hole of trees . The amount of food these birds receive has a direct impact on how many eggs they put down — the more field mouse , rats , and shrew they eat up , the more owlet in their brood .
Barn bird of Minerva are quite gangling compared to other hooter . They have tumid hazel to brown eyes set in concave , heart - shaped face that are surrounded by a delicate outline of wan brown feathers . Barn owls are milk white in colour with tan and rust brown feathers on their backs and wing . These owls do not hoot but or else prefer to intercommunicate via screeches .
you may detect the b owl in all but the topmost region of the U.S. Even though these wench are plebeian throughout the nation , their universe is dwindle away more or less due to inhabitation loss . Barn bird of night reside twelvemonth - round as far south as Texas and Arizona , as far east as Pennsylvania , and all across the Pacific Northwest .
Great Horned Owl
genus Bubo virginianus
Size:18 - 26 in . ( 46 - 63 cm )
Far from meek , Great Horned bird of Minerva have been known to hunt other hoot of prey , admit fish hawk , peregrine , and even other owls . With their strong talons , these bird can wield 28 - pound of force allowing them to harness larger prey . Great orned owls are a major scourge to other bird , especially jays and brag . In fact , if you ever pick up a large group of these hoot realise a fuss , there ’s a good chance it ’s because a great horn owl has gotten too close to their nests . The great tusk hooter ’s plumage is extremist - soft , and this provides the animals with several benefits . For starters , it protect them from the harsh cold . But it also muffles fathom , allowing them to fly silently as they swoop up down on their prey . Interestingly , although the female of the species are larger than the males , female have higher - pitched voices , and mated twain often synchronize their calls .
The great horn owl is easily identified by a equal span of tufts on either side of its mind , give it a horned appearance . They have gray to red - brown barred plumage and gold jaundiced eyes that do not move within the sockets . These bird can rotate their head 180 degrees to see and hear what ’s going on around them . Facial feathering discs help direct soundwaves to their ear , let them to track their prey , and their wide wings enable them to vanish dexterously , with serrated principal feathers dispersing turbulence and softer feather stifle sound .
These magnificent hooter can be found in every DoS in the nation except Hawaii . These owls are aboriginal to the Americas , and they ’re extremely adaptable , dwelling in forested , rural , and urban areas alike . While you ’re liable to see a gravid horn bird of night just about anywhere , keep your eye peeled near wooded areas , especially along treelines as these bird wish to perch near overt field of operation to find their fair game .
Great Gray Owl
genus Strix nebulosa
Size:25 - 33 in . ( 63.5 - 84 cm )
At 33 - inch long , cracking grey-headed owls are the bombastic species of hooter in the world in terms of length , with female being slightly larger than males . These wench have an telling wingspan averaging around 5 pes . But , even though this owl looks quite large , it really is n’t that freehanded — it ’s mostly feathers . Unlike gravid horn owls , which can weigh up to 5.5 pounds , great gray owls are padded out with dumb plume and matter just 3.75 pounding . Their clean weight allow them to aviate quietly as they purge the forest floor in search of nutrient . Their asymmetrical ear hatchway enable them to track their prey while their knock-down groundwork and talons can clear through densely - packed snow to capture rodent and lowly mammals tunneling beneath it .
With its gray plume and haunting expression , the great grizzly bird of Minerva has also been dubbed the Phantom of the North . This blade to brown - hoary bird of night has a sooty appearance with amber yellow eyes and large disks surround them , hold them an appropriately smart expression . Just beneath the bird ’s beak lies a white-hot “ bowtie ” that tapers to rounded ends . The slap-up gray owl uses cryptic , rhythmic “ whoo - whoos ” to hold its territories and convey with its phratry .
Great white-haired owls can be found year - cycle in boreal forest in the northmost states . Look for these beautiful birds of prey in Minnesota , Michigan , Wisconsin , and New York . You ’re also likely to spot them in California , Oregon , Idaho , and even part of Wyoming and Utah .
Long-Eared Owl
genus Asio otus
Size:14 - 16 in . ( 35 - 40 cm )
At 15 inch in duration and with an impressive wingspread of 39 inches , the long - eared owl has been known to slip nests out from jay and crow to raise their own young . This middling elusive owl can be tough to find , opt to attempt protection in dense woodlands . And , alas , its population has declined 91 % since 1970 . Unlike most owls , long - eared owls are not very territorial and prefer to rely on their camouflage to veil from potential piranha . When face , most long - eared owls simply fly away . Because these birds can be nervous , they can be tough for birdwatchers to track down . But if you are prosperous enough to recognise a long - eared bird of Minerva , keep your eyes peeled for more — long - eared owls roost in group of 6 to 50 .
At first glimpse , the long - eared owl greatly resembles the great tusk owl . But a closer review reveals that long - eared owls possess a distinctive V - shaped feather pattern on their faces . The tufts of feathers that make up their case record hem in bright orange eyes , giving them a surprised expression . The second solidification of feather tufts sitting on top of their heads consecrate them their iconic long - eared appearance These are lanky bird that have tan face with variegated plumage in shade of brown , tan , grizzly , and white .
Long - eared owls populate year - round in Wyoming , Nevada , Colorado , Arizona , New York , Michigan , and Wisconsin . During the bringing up season , these birds hazard far north to Montana , North Dakota , and Minnesota . These razzing 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 dense clusters of scattered tree diagram , providing them with a safe seat to search shelter as they hunt for small mammal .
Eastern Screech-Owl
Megascops asio
Size:6 - 10 in . ( 16 - 25 centimetre )
Featuring 5 race , eastern screech - owls are little raspberry maxing out at just under 10 - inch in length . These owls are monogamous and less skittish than other owls , frequently be in nesting boxes and even using birdbath to lave up . easterly scream - owl are typically leisurely to spot because they prey on songbirds during the daytime . This footling bird of prey ’s size of it establish deceptive . These are highly territorial razz , even from a unseasoned eld . new eastern screech - owls will defend amongst themselves for food , and may even kill the pocket-sized and weakest of their siblings — an act sleep with as siblicide that is common in hiss of fair game .
easterly screech - owls are short , stocky Bronx cheer with small heads and satisfying tails . These bird of night occur in gray morphs and violent ( or rufous ) morphs , with some bird of Minerva exhibiting chocolate-brown plumage . The colour of each easterly screech - owl depends on the type of forest it resides in , as its coloring helps to camouflage it from likely predators . These are very outspoken owls that apply trilling calls to appeal mates and put across with their families . Their classifiable whinny - like shrieking are hard to miss !
Eastern screech - bird of Minerva choose to dwell in forests but are often happy to inhabit in urban areas , too . you may discover the easterly scream - bird of night from Vermont to Montana , in a broad orbit drag in all the means down to Texas and back across the states to Florida . These chick can be found in wooded , rural , and suburban preferences .
How to Attract New York Owls to Your Backyard
While some owls , like the boreal owl and the whiskered screaming - owl , quash humans and can be tough to find , other bird of Minerva , like the barred bird of Minerva and eastern and western screeching - owl , are much easy to draw in .
Installnesting boxeson trees , perch , and fences to encourage your neighborhood owls to take up residence on your property . Leaving brushing , Mrs. Henry Wood piles , and old lawn trimmings provides homes for vole , theatre mice , lapin , gopher , andsnakes . Having passel of these critters nearby is a surefire way to get your local owls ’ attention .
Because many owl care to feed onsongbirdsandsquirrels , setting up a razz feeder andgetting a hoot bathcan also advance owls to pay you a sojourn . Of course , some razz work to scare bird of night off . Jays , crows , merl , grackles , and starling on a regular basis pack hooter , so take measures to scare these birds away — take down starling nesting boxes , and bump off cracked corn and goober pea from your tributary , which are the pet food for thought of these raspberry .
hooter make out to sit on poles and in leafless tree because they make it easy for them to discern prey . ensure your bird of Minerva have plenitude of spot to perch on . you could also attract these birds by define your out-of-door natural process , especially in the former morning and former evening hours when they wish to hunt . Together , all of these measures will help your neighborhood owls feel aright at family in your backyard .
All State Owls
Want to see what owl species are get hold in other states ? Here ’s our all over listing of owls found in each state :
