Barred owl's typical daytime rest stop

This image shows a barred owl's typical daytime resting place -- on a small limb in the shadow of a large limb.

Have you ever heard someone say, "I heard a hoot owl last night just outside my window?" Well, the barred owl is most likely the owl they heard. It is our most noisy owl.

The barred owl is a North American native. It is quiet in flight. If you spend much time in the woods, you may have been sitting quietly when you suddenly noticed a barred owl sitting on a limb nearby and wonder how it got there. It may even be looking at you, and, if you move your arm, it will probably fly away without making a sound.

Spring turkey hunters know this owl as the one that helps in locating a gobbler. Often in early morning as sunup nears, a barred owl will hoot, and a wild turkey gobbler will answer the owl with a gobble, thus revealing his location. Attention to these bird antics can help the hunter move closer to the gobbler before making calls that sound like a hen turkey.

Sometimes two or more barred owls will begin hooting, and their hoots will culminate in what sounds like wild laughter. These owls usually nest in hollow trees, but have been known to commandeer abandoned hawk nests and squirrel nests.