By Tony Gazso, Interpretive Naturalist

Few birds capture the imagination like owls. Predators of the night, hunting while the world sleeps. There are around 200 species of owl worldwide, living on every continent except Antarctica and in nearly every habitat from tundra to desert to rainforest. Here in Ohio, eight owl species can be found. Let's take a closer look at these fascinating birds: 
 
Eastern screech-owl: The smallest and most common owl in our region is the Eastern screech-owl. These tiny owls are superbly camouflaged and can be seen tucked deep into the crevices of trees. They nest in tree hollows and sometimes even take up residence in nest boxes. They can be found anywhere with trees from forests to backyards and are present in our region year round. Only about the size of a robin, Eastern screech-owls come in gray and red color morphs. Listen for their haunting trill song at night. 

Eastern screech-owl

Barred owl: The barred owl is a large gray owl with a series of darker bars on its chest, hence its name. They prefer mature forests, often near rivers or other bodies of water. In addition to small mammals, barred owls occasionally hunt fish. Their low “who cooks for you” call is iconic. Barred owls are seen here year round. 

Barred owl

Great horned owl: The quintessential owl, the great horned is a large and fierce predator, eating a variety of prey including animals much larger than itself. In fact, they are the primary predatory threat to both the barred and Eastern screech-owls. Although slightly less numerous in Ohio than the previous two on our list, they are the most widespread owls on the continent, being found in 49 of the 50 states (sorry, Hawaii). This species is a year-round resident of Ohio.

Great horned owl

Long-eared owl: Although confused for the great horned by some because of its large ear tufts, the long-eared is a smaller and much lankier owl. Long-eared owls are infrequent visitors to Ohio and are typically seen during winter or during migration. Although they roost in dense foliage, they prefer to hunt over open fields for small mammals.

Long-eared owl

Barn owl: One of the lesser-seen species in northern Ohio, the barn owl is often confused with the barred owl because their names sound so similar. In appearance, though, the two look nothing alike. The barn owl is a strictly nocturnal owl that is a ghostly white with brown wings. Their blood-curdling call is enough to send a chill up your spine. They often roost in old buildings and barns. Their numbers are declining across parts of their range, including in Ohio.

Barn owl

Northern saw-whet owl: One of the smallest and cutest owls to visit northern Ohio, saw-whets are extremely nocturnal and are very difficult to see. They are about the same size as the screech-owl and typically roost in dense foliage, usually just above eye level near the trunk of the tree. Northern saw-whets are typically only seen in Ohio in fall and winter.

Northern saw-whet owl

Short-eared owl: The last two owls on our list are atypical in that they are not strictly nocturnal. The short-eared owl can be active throughout the day, but prefers to hunt at dusk and dawn. Short-eared owls nest in the arctic tundra, come down to Ohio in October and stay through the winter. They prefer large open fields, and unlike all previous owls on our list, nest on the ground. Short-eared owls are common throughout North America and Eurasia, with a non-migratory population in South America.

Short-eared owl

Snowy owl: The largest owl in North America by weight, the snowy owl is a winter visitor to Northern Ohio, typically not found much further south of our area. They are powerful predators that take down just about anything they can from nabbing birds in mid-air to hunting small mammals. When in our region, they can be seen in large open areas such as beaches and airports. Their plumage ranges from the male’s nearly pure white to the female’s white with dark barring.

Snowy owl

Owls can be tricky to find, even if you know where to look. Numerous species can be seen throughout Lake Metroparks, so keep your eyes peeled and if you’re very lucky, you just might catch a glimpse of one of these avian predators.