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Help develop a Bird ID tool!

Barred Owl

Strix varia ORDER: STRIGIFORMES FAMILY: STRIGIDAE

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

A large owl of extensive woodlands, the Barred Owl is familiar for its distinctive "who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all" hooting.

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Appearance

Owls
Owls
Typical Voice

Adult Description

  • Large owl.
  • Head round with no ear tufts.
  • Eyes dark.
  • Underparts whitish with dark streaks.

Immature Description

Looks similar to adults.

Range Map Help

Barred Owl Range Map
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Field MarksHelp

  • Adult
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    Barred Owl

    Adult
    • Large, round-headed owl
    • No ear tufts
    • Large black eyes
    • Brown streaks on belly, brown and white mottling above
    • © Ed Schneider, Lafayette, Louisiana, March 2009
  • Adult
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    Barred Owl

    Adult
    • Large owl with rounded head and no ear tufts
    • Large black eyes on gray facial disc
    • Brown streaks on white belly
    • Brown and white mottled wings/back
    • © Grant Hickey, Ontario, Canada, November 2010
  • Adult
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    Barred Owl

    Adult
    • Rounded head with no ear tufts
    • Black eyes contrast with pale gray facial disc
    • Brown and white mottled wings/back
    • Streaked belly
    • © Grant Hickey, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, March 2011
  • Adult
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    Barred Owl

    Adult
    • Rounded head with no ear tufts
    • Large black eyes
    • Small yellow bill
    • Brown and white mottled back/wings
    • © Greg Page, Eagle Creek, Texas, February 2009
  • Adult
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    Barred Owl

    Adult
    • Large owl with rounded head
    • Pale belly with brown streaks
    • Large black eyes
    • Pale gray facial disc
    • © JMK Birder, Tolland , Connecticut, November 2009
  • Juvenile
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    Barred Owl

    Juvenile
    • Rounded head
    • Large dark eyes
    • Mostly covered in down, but still mottled brown and white
    • © Janice Lorentz, Tryon Creek, Oregon, May 2011
  • Juvenile
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    Barred Owl

    Juvenile
    • Large black eyes contrast with gray facial disc
    • Rounded head
    • Brown streaks on pale belly
    • Small yellow bill
    • © Syd Phillips, Nonaville, Tennessee, June 2010
  • Juvenile
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    Barred Owl

    Juvenile
    • Large black eyes
    • Small yellow bill
    • Stocky overall, with rounded head
    • Younger juveniles mostly covered in whitish down
    • © Marcus Sharpe, Mead Garden, Winter Park, Florida, April 2009

Similar Species

  • Adult
    Zoom In

    Spotted Owl

    Adult
    • Very similar to Barred Owl
    • Slightly smaller, but similar in shape
    • Dark mottled/spotted underparts instead of vertical streaks
    • Darker head and facial disc
    • © Larry Meade, Portal, Arizona, July 2006
  • Adult
    Zoom In

    Spotted Owl

    Adult
    • Very similar, but slightly smaller than Barred Owl
    • Densely mottled/spotted underparts
    • Darker face and chest
    • © Kameron Perensovich, California, August 2010
  • Adult
    Zoom In

    Great Horned Owl

    Adult
    • Larger than Barred Owl with obvious ear tufts
    • Glowing yellow eyes on brown facial disc
    • Dense horizontal barring on underparts
    • Gray and black camouflage pattern on wings/back
    • © Anne Elliot, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, September 2009

Similar Species

  • Spotted Owl has spots, not streaks, on chest below ruff, and spots, not bars, on head and back.