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The mystery and supernatural influences associated with owls can, in part, be attributed to their calls and appearance. The barred owl is a likely candidate if you have ever heard an owl call in the middle of the night. It has a distinctive call that can come in measures of eight and would resemble the human phrase "Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?" It has large eyes, an attribute that makes many believe it is wise or knowing. In reality, owls are efficient, specialized predators that have a significant role in the control of a variety of rodents and to a lesser extent insects; its unusual physical makeup contributes to this ability.
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Barred Owl
Strix varia
At-a-Glance
• Mating: Monogamous
• Peak Breeding Activity: Late February through mid-March
• Incubation: 28 days. Incubation begins as soon as the first egg is laid and ends 28 days after the last egg is laid.
• Clutch Size: 2-3 eggs
• Migration Patterns: In the extreme northern portions of its range a shortage of prey species, generally occurring in the winter, will result in the owl moving from these areas to more productive hunting grounds. Provided food supplies are available, barred owl migration is minimal.
• Feeding Periods: The barred owl is a nocturnal species, meaning most of its actions including feeding occur at night. Some daytime activity has been reported, but it is rare.
• Typical Foods: Although mice are the barred owl's preferred food, they consume a wide variety of small mammals, reptiles, fish, and insects including: snails, slugs, spiders, bats, chicken, various songbirds, woodpeckers, crows, crayfish, and rabbits. In Ohio, meadow voles, short-tailed shrews, and white-footed mice comprise the bulk of the barred owl's prey. |
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Description
The barred owl is a brown-gray hornless (no ear tufts) owl with white spots on its back, white streaks on the belly that run lengthwise, and the white bars, from which their name is derived, on the neck and breast running crosswise. As stated previously, its eyes are brown rather than the more common yellow. The barred owl stands 18 to 22 inches tall and has a wingspan of three and a half to four feet.
Habitat and Habits
Generally, these owls live in larger tracts of deciduous forests, ranging from mesic, or wet areas, such as wooded swamps, poorly drained woodlots, and protected hillsides to drier, upland areas. Recent research indicates their preference for wetter sites is because these areas are less likely to have been disturbed, particularly by timber activities that remove the mature, deteriorating trees used for nesting sites, rather than a need for water. The presence of a suitable number of mature trees capable of providing perching and nesting cover are crucial for barred owl habitat. Pine groves are frequently used as roosting cover for this species which over winters in Ohio. Their typical call sounds just like Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all!
Reproduction and Care of the Young
As is typical of other owl species, barred owls rarely build their own nests. Instead they will frequently use hollow tree cavities: old hawk, squirrel, and crow nests, and on occasion man-made nesting structures. Eggs will hatch about late March into mid-April. Owlets will open their eyes at one week of age and leave the nest cavity at about 30 days of age, but are not fledged (able to fly) until seven to nine weeks of age. After they leave the nest cavity, the young will typically roost on a tree branch, which is oftentimes reached by climbing, until they can fly. |
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