Owls of Ohio - Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Owls of Ohio - Ohio Department of Natural Resources Owls of Ohio - Ohio Department of Natural Resources
H ab its barn owlFew birds are as strictly nocturnal as barn owls.They roost in barns or other structures, or sometimesdense conifers, during daylight hours and normallydon’t begin foraging until well after dusk. Barn owlshunt over open fields, and patrol for prey with arather sluggish, buoyant flight. When surprised atthe nest site, they hiss, lower their head towards theground and sway from side to side, and often spreadtheir wings to appear larger.D i e t barn owlSmall mammals make up the vast majority ofprey items. In particular, the meadow vole, Microtuspennsylvanicus, is a staple of barn owl diets, as thissmall mouse-like rodent is very common in habitatsfavored by these owls. In some areas, meadow volescan comprise nearly 100% of the diet. Other smallmammals are taken as well such as bats, flyingsquirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, and sometimes smallbirds.On average, two pellets are expelled daily, andeach pellet is ejected about 6-8 hours after the mealhas been consumed.N e s ting barn owlMost barn owl nests are located in barns; usuallyhigh in a loft or some niche well off the floor. A varietyof other man-made structures might be used, such asunder bridges, in abandoned wells, old houses, andchurch steeples. Very rarely, at least now, barn owls willuse cavities in trees. Nesting success has been greatlybolsteredFresh barn owl pellets,collected near a nest site inJackson County.Roosting barn owls high on abarn’s hay rail in Holmes County.Photos by: ODNR Division of Wildlife / Jim McCormac
y people placing nest boxes in barns, thus providingsuitable nest sites where none were present before.Most nesting takes place from March through May,although if food is plentiful barn owls may attempt tonest at any time of the year. The average clutch size is fiveeggs, although more might be produced under especiallyfavorable circumstances.Vo c aliz ati o n s barn owlThis species definitely does not make hooting soundsthat many people associate with owls. Rather, barn owlstypically deliver a drawn-out shriek, with the female’s callsupposedly a bit less harsh and quieter than the male’s.They also utter defensive hisses, and on occasion a varietyof other twittering or snoring sounds.Known barn owl nest site,Jackson CountyPhoto by: ODNR Division of Wildlife / Jim McCormacC O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 15I nter e s ting Fac t s barn owl Barn owls can be long-lived. The record for a wild birdis 34 years of age. However, the average life span is justunder two years. Some barn owls are polygynous, or have more thanone mate at a time. While it is mostly males whoengage in this practice, some females are also knownto mate with more than one male. Barn Owls are undoubtedly responsible for manyreports of “haunted houses.” Their tendency to nestin old structures, including the attics of abandonedhouses, coupled with their ghostly white plumageand hissing screams, have no doubt spooked manyan uninitiated person.Photo by: Ohio Department of Natural Resources / Al Staffan
- Page 1 and 2: OWLS OF OHIO c d g u i d e b o o kD
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- Page 5 and 6: with both eyes simultaneously. Anot
- Page 7 and 8: M o d i fi ed Fe ath er s owl morph
- Page 9 and 10: Pelle t s an d W h ite wa s h findi
- Page 11 and 12: Ab o u t this Bookle t and CD owls
- Page 13: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 13O
- Page 17 and 18: BTRACKS7-12arred owlStrix varia (St
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- Page 21 and 22: Eastern screech-owlMegascops asio (
- Page 23 and 24: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 23N
- Page 25 and 26: Great horned owlBubo virginianus (B
- Page 27 and 28: Normally solitary except during the
- Page 29 and 30: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 29T
- Page 31 and 32: O h i o S tat u s l o ng - e a re d
- Page 33 and 34: N e s ting long - e a re d o w lLon
- Page 35 and 36: Northern saw-whet owlAegolius acadi
- Page 37 and 38: likely. When one is found, a very c
- Page 39 and 40: Short-eared owlAsio flammeus (Ay-se
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- Page 43 and 44: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 43i
- Page 45 and 46: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 45O
- Page 47 and 48: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 47
- Page 49 and 50: Like the Northern hawk owl and grea
- Page 51 and 52: This is one of North America’s mo
- Page 53 and 54: This is the smallest owl in the wor
- Page 55 and 56: This small owl has a broad but spot
- Page 57 and 58: This species has become a symbol of
- Page 59 and 60: O T H E R N O R T H A M E R I C A N
- Page 61 and 62: Publication FundingFunding for this
- Page 63 and 64: A ppa l achi a n Fron tAu du bon So
H ab its barn owlFew birds are as strictly nocturnal as barn owls.They roost in barns or other structures, or sometimesdense conifers, during daylight hours and normallydon’t begin foraging until well after dusk. Barn owlshunt over open fields, and patrol for prey with arather sluggish, buoyant flight. When surprised atthe nest site, they hiss, lower their head towards theground and sway from side to side, and <strong>of</strong>ten spreadtheir wings to appear larger.D i e t barn owlSmall mammals make up the vast majority <strong>of</strong>prey items. In particular, the meadow vole, Microtuspennsylvanicus, is a staple <strong>of</strong> barn owl diets, as thissmall mouse-like rodent is very common in habitatsfavored by these owls. In some areas, meadow volescan comprise nearly 100% <strong>of</strong> the diet. Other smallmammals are taken as well such as bats, flyingsquirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, and sometimes smallbirds.On average, two pellets are expelled daily, andeach pellet is ejected about 6-8 hours after the mealhas been consumed.N e s ting barn owlMost barn owl nests are located in barns; usuallyhigh in a l<strong>of</strong>t or some niche well <strong>of</strong>f the floor. A variety<strong>of</strong> other man-made structures might be used, such asunder bridges, in abandoned wells, old houses, andchurch steeples. Very rarely, at least now, barn owls willuse cavities in trees. Nesting success has been greatlybolsteredFresh barn owl pellets,collected near a nest site inJackson County.Roosting barn owls high on abarn’s hay rail in Holmes County.Photos by: ODNR Division <strong>of</strong> Wildlife / Jim McCormac
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