RANGE: Eastern half of the United States from south-eastern Canada to Florida. Western Canada south to Oregon and Idaho.

HABITAT: Prefer mature oak woods, stands of mixed hardwoods and conifers and swamps with lack of underbrush, thick dense woods.

SIZE: LENGTH: 16-24 inches
WINGSPAN: 38-50 inches
WEIGHT: 1-2.3 pounds

LIFE EXPECTANCY:
WILD: more than 10 years
CAPTIVITY: up to 23 years

REPRODUCTION: Nest sites used year after year. Prefer natural tree cavity or old hawk, crow or squirrels nest. Relatively long breeding season with re-nesting common after loss of eggs or brood. Lay 2-3 eggs, rarely 4. Incubation begins when first egg is laid, which means chicks hatch on different days. Females does all the incubating, which takes 28-33 days. Young open eyes at about 7 days and are heavily brooded until 3 weeks of age. Become branchers at 4-5 weeks and fledge at about 6 weeks. May continue to receive food from parents until 16 weeks old.

DIET: Wide variety of small mammals, especially rodents. Frogs, lizards, snakes, salamanders, fish and insects. Also birds up to size of flickers. Will take screech owls and have taken long-eared owls.

BEHAVIOR: Sedentary birds. Form permanent pair bonds and have permanent territories which are defended throughout the year. Courtship begins in winter, centering more on nest site. Take part in courtship feeding and mutual preening. Male gives wide variety of calls while pursuing female. Male will perch near female, raising first one wing, then other, then both together. Semi-nocturnal to nocturnal hunter, hunting during day when raising young. Vocal and inquisitive. Like to call during daytime when rainy. Main call sounds like "Who cooks for you-u-u-u?" Also makes cackling sounds.

POINTS OF INTEREST: Also known as swamp owl, hoot owl, or wood owl. Nocturnal counterpart of red-shouldered hawk. Often nest near each other with no apparent conflict. Eggs of both birds have been found in same nest. One of the few owls in the eastern U.S. with dark eyes. Both Barred and Barn owls have ears asymmetrically located. Right ear is higher than left, which enables them to pinpoint the location of prey by sound alone. Consequently they can hunt in the darkest of night and that is convenient because then they can avoid their chief predator, the great horned owl.

STATUS: Has declined somewhat in eastern and southeastern parts of range in U.S. owing to it's dependence on old growth trees for nest sites. Started expanding into pacific northwest during 1960's and is displacing spotted owls in some areas.