Owls liven up the winter evenings in Missouri. In fact, Missourians are more likely to see owls out and about and hear them hooting now more than any other time of the year.
As you know, there are a few owl species that call Missouri home. We explained last month that the barred owl, great horned owl and eastern screech-owl are commonly found in our area. Differentiating their calls may be difficult, so we’ve put together this cheat sheet that will help you in identifying who’s hootin’ and hollerin’ outside your window.
Barred owls: You’ll find these owls in wooded areas. They save their calls for the evenings and respond to imitated calls. If you hear them, call back! (Fun fact: Sometimes they’ll approach the caller.)
Great horned owls (hoot owls): If you live in the city, you’re most likely to see and hear these owls. Their call is a series of hoots similar to the barred owl. They’ll also respond when you imitate their call.
Eastern screech-owls: These little birds likes towns, woods and farms. Despite their name, their call is a soft, mournful whinny.
Discover more about these owls and many others in the MDC’s Field Guide.
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