Owls of Ohio - Ohio Department of Natural Resources

song, occasionally veering off into caterwauling hoots and screams.Both sexes give a two-note Hoo-aww call that serves as a contact callbetween the pair. Fledglings give a high-pitched ascending squeal,often trailing off at the end, which is used as a begging call whenseeking food from the adults.I nter e s ting Fac t s barred owl Barred owls are one of two Ohio owls with dark eyes; all others butthe barn owl have yellow eyes. Their calls are easily mimicked and barred owls are very responsive toimitations; even barking dogs have been known to set them off. Closely related to and known to hybridize with the spotted owl, whichhas become a symbol of old-growth forests in the western U.S. The oldest documented wild barred owl was over 18 years old.Tips fo r Fi n d i n g a Bar r ed OwlOftentimes, no real effort is necessary; the loud raucous calls ofthis talkative species will reveal the presence of barred owls from longdistances. They will even call during the day, especially when skies areovercast. Sometimes, barred owls are found roosting in trees during theday, and are often rather tame and approachable. Dense stands of largepines are sometimes used by roosting owls, and checking such groves mayproduce owls.When suitable habitat is located, such as swampy woods or large,forested ravines, barred owls can be coaxed into vocalizing by imitatingtheir calls. When attempting to call them in, exercise patience. A verycommon modus operandi for barred owls in response to imitations oftheir sounds is to quietly fly in to observe the situation. If you did notcatch a glimpse of the owl as it flew into a nearby tree, you’d have noidea it was there. Frequently the owl will sit quietly for several minutesbefore calling. Once it does start up, its hooting often entices the mateover, and the pair will engage in a raucous duet.owl barred owl barred owl barred owl barred owl barred owl barred owl barred owl barred owl barred owl barred owlwl barred owl barred owl barred owl barred owl barred owl barred owlarred owlRange acrossNorth AmericaBreedingWinteringYear-roundYear-rounddistribution