In 2016, I went to Idaho for my grandpa’s funeral. My grandma wanted me to have his telescope because she knows that just as my grandpa did, I like astronomy and science. I spent many nights observing things in the night sky like Saturn and its rings along with Jupiter and its moons.
On several occasions as I observed the night sky, I heard owls calling from a nearby pond. It wasn’t until I started doing wildlife photography that I figured out what type of owls they are. They are barred owls.
Eventually, I figured out that there were at least two pairs living in the area. There are likely several others around this area given how big of a neighborhood this is with a fair amount of forested areas, but I only know of the two pairs.
When I walk around the neighborhood with my camera, people often ask if I have seen the owls that day. It seems like the owls are the most popular wildlife in the neighborhood given that they tend to be the only wildlife people ask me about. Some people have told me that they hear the owls almost every morning. On several occasions, I have been lucky enough to have had opportunities to listen to one of the owls call out and hear another respond.
In my research about them, I have read that their wingspan is usually around thirty-nine to forty-three inches. They like to nest in “tree cavities,” but might use abandoned nests or a nest box. They typically lay two to three eggs. It takes around thirty days for the eggs to hatch and they start flying around six weeks old. They hunt for things like small rodents, but may go after other things like smaller birds, reptiles, and crayfish.
With barred owls, I am always impressed at how well they blend into their environment. Often when I am looking for the owls, I walk right past them. The only thing that tipped me off that I went past an owl was hearing their call behind me. Unlike some other birds, when the owls take off into flight, I can’t hear a thing. I can imagine that being able to blend in so well and being a very quiet flyer are great for hunting.