Great Horned Owl
Great Horned Owls are our most common owl. They are large birds, fearsome hunters taking small mammals and other birds.
BELOW: left, even a Great-Horned Owl can have a "hard day's night"! right, Western Screech Owl.
BELOW: left, even a Great-Horned Owl can have a "hard day's night"! right, Western Screech Owl.
Barred Owl. These large owls nest in conifer forests but descend to the valley floor sometimes in winter to find food.
Two Barred Owls below. The one on the right, seen last January, was asleep in a blanket of snow.
Northern Hawk Owls (below) are denizens of the northern boreal forest, not seen here every year.
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Above at top left is a Northern Pygmy Owl, a small daytime hunter. It was January 2020 when I took this photo.
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Above at top right is another small owl, a Northern Saw-whet Owl. It was roosting in this tree cavity, and sleepily poked its head out as we watched.
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The bird at lower left is a Long-eared Owl. These birds are rarely seen, and it's very exciting when they are. They are endangered, The bird at lower right is another Great Horned Owl, our most abundant owl, often seen in the winter months.
Below is a Great Gray Owl. These large owls like to hunt at dusk. They nest in the upper forests. The one pictured was snoozing on a tree branch while occasionally scanning the field below for prey under the snow.
