Owls in Alabama are fascinating birds that captivate birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts nationwide. With their silent flight and haunting calls, these nocturnal creatures add a touch of mystique to Alabama’s many landscapes.
Whether exploring the forests, venturing into rural areas, or listening for their hoots from your backyard, encountering an owl in Alabama is a memorable experience.
Common Owls Of Alabama
The most common Owls in Alabama include the Barred Owl, Great Horned Owl, Eastern Screech-Owl, Barn Owl, Eastern Screech-owl, Short-eared Owl, Burrowing Owl, Northern Saw-whet Ow, and Long-eared Owl.
This blog post will cover the eight types of owls throughout the state, from the large Great Horned Owl to the smaller Northern Saw-whet Owl. Readers can learn about their unique adaptations, appearance, intriguing behaviors, and preferred habitats.
Whether you’re a seasoned birdwatcher or a newcomer to the hobby, we hope this post will boost your appreciation for the incredible owls that call Alabama home.
We have organized our list from most likely seen to the least likely to be seen for your convenience.
Alabama Owls
According to the latest data from ebird, there are eight observed species of Owls in Alabama. This data has been compiled from over 14,800 dedicated bird watchers throughout the state.
Here are some quick facts:
- The Barred Owl is the most commonly observed Owl in Alabama
- Long-eared Owls are the least widely observed species in Alabama
- Great Horned Owls are the largest in Alabama
- Northern Saw-whet Owls are the smallest Owls in Alabama
8 Types Of Owls In Alabama
1. Barred Owl
The barred owl is a large wood owl native to North America and a year-round resident of Alabama. They are non-migratory and inhabit the wooded areas of Eastern United States and Northwestern Canada.
- Length: 43-50cm (17-20 inches)
- Weight: 470-1050g (16.5-37oz)
- Wingspan: 99-110cm (39-43 inches)
- Barred Owl Scientific Name: Strix varia
Appearance
Barred Owls are chunky looking, with large heads, no ear tufts, and round tails.
They are brownish-grey above with white spots and a buff color below, with dark vertical bars on their chest and belly, and their tails have brown and white barring.
Habitat
They prefer to live in mature forests but can also be found in wooded swamps and along rivers.
They can also be seen living in wooded residential areas and parks.
Diet
Barred Owls are nocturnal hunters feeding primarily on small mammals, such as mice, opossums, squirrels, and rabbits. They also eat birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians that live in swampy areas.
They search for prey from an elevated perch and can sometimes be heard calling in the early morning or late evening.
Nesting
Barred Owls typically nest in large tree cavities but will also use abandoned nests of other large birds, such as Hawks.
They lay 2-3 eggs per clutch, which hatch after about a month. Females incubate the eggs, and males provide the food for her and their young.
Interesting facts
- The Barred Owl has a unique call that sounds like “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?” This call is often heard in forests at night.
- These birds have excellent hearing, which allows them to locate prey in complete darkness.
- Barred Owls have adapted well to suburban and urban areas and can often be found in parks and backyards.
- They are known to rival another owl species, the Spotted Owl, for nesting sites and territory.
- Barred Owls are sometimes called “hoot owls” because of their distinctive call.
2. Great horned Owl
The Great Horned Owl is a large and powerful eagle owl found throughout North and South America and is a year-round resident of Alabama. They are known for their distinctive ear tufts and intense yellow eyes.
- Length: 46-63cm (18-25 inches)
- Weight: 910-2500g (32-88oz)
- Wingspan: 101-145cm (40-57 inches)
- Great Horned Owl Scientific Name: Bubo virginianus
Appearance
The Great Horned Owl is a large-bodied owl with broad, round wings and distinctive ear tufts.
Their plumage can vary depending on geographic location, but they are primarily brown and gray above, with bars and speckling. They have reddish brown faces, white throats, and large yellow eyes.
Habitat
They are adaptable, and you can spot them in various habitats, including forests, deserts, grasslands, and urban areas.
The Great Horned Owl range extends throughout North, Central, and South America and can thrive in cold or warm climates.
Diet
Great Horned Owls are night-time predators that eat a variety of mammals, including rodents, opossums, and rabbits.
They will also eat giant insects, reptiles such as snakes and lizards, and other large birds such as ducks, geese, and sometimes unsuspecting raptors in Alabama such as hawks, other owls, or falcons.
They hunt from an elevated perch and swoop down onto prey. Their powerful talons and strong beak allow them to catch and kill their prey quickly.
Nesting
Great Horned Owls rarely build their own nest but instead, use abandoned nests of other large birds.
They typically lay 2-3 eggs per clutch, which hatch after about a month. Females primarily incubate the eggs, and both parents take turns feeding their young.
Interesting facts
- Great Horned Owls are known for their ability to take down prey larger than themselves.
- These birds have excellent hearing and can locate prey in complete darkness.
- They will store food away in winter and return later to feed. Often incubating their frozen meal to thaw it out.
- Great Horned Owls have few natural predators and can live up to 30 years in the wild.
3. Eastern Screech-Owl
The Eastern Screech-Owl is a small nocturnal owl found in the eastern half of North America and Alabama all year round. They are known for their distinctive ear tufts and ability to blend in with their surroundings.
- Length: 16-25cm (6.3-9.5 inches)
- Weight: 121-244g (4.3-8.6oz)
- Wingspan: 48-61cm (19-24 inches)
- Eastern Screech-Owl Scientific Name: Megascops asio
Appearance
Eastern Screech-Owls are small, stocky owls with large heads, rounded wings, and short square tails. They have distinctive ear tufts on the top of their heads, bright yellow eyes, and a yellowy-green bill.
They have two color morphs, either gray or reddish-brown above, with intricate patterns that allow them to seem camouflaged against tree bark.
Habitat
The Eastern Screech-Owl range extends throughout eastern North America, from southern Canada to Florida and Texas, and their preferred habitat is wooded areas, including forests, parks, and suburban areas with mature trees.
Diet
Eastern Screech-Owls eat a variety of prey, but they primarily eat small rodents and large insects such as moths, crickets, and beetles.
They also eat birds and small reptiles like snakes, lizards, and frogs. They forage at night and prefer to scan for prey from a perch and swoop down to catch prey.
Nesting
Eastern Screech-Owls will nest in a tree cavity, abandoned woodpecker hole, or natural hollow in trees.
They typically lay 4-6 eggs per clutch, which hatch after about a month. The female primarily incubates the eggs, and the male provides food for her and their chicks.
Interesting facts
- They are also known for their distinctive call, which sounds like whinnying.
- These birds have excellent hearing and can locate prey in complete darkness.
- Eastern Screech-Owls are known to regurgitate their prey’s bones, feathers, or fur.
- They come in two color morphs, with gray being the most common.
4. Barn Owl
The Barn Owl is a beautiful and distinctive species of owl, known worldwide for its heart-shaped face and ghostly white appearance. They can be seen in Alabama all year round.
- Length: 32-40cm (12.5-15.8 inches)
- Weight: 400-700g (14-24.7oz)
- Wingspan: 100-125cm (39.5-49.2 inches)
- Barn Owl Scientific Name: Tyto alba
Appearance
Barn Owls are medium-sized owls with a distinctive heart-shaped facial disc outlined in white and bordered by a brownish-orange rim. They have long legs, long, rounded wings, and short tails.
They are a mottled rusty brown and gray above with fine black dots and streaks. Below they vary in color from white to light cinnamon.
Males are smaller than females, and the darkest colored Barn Owls are always female.
Habitat
You can spot Barn Owls in low-elevation open habitats such as grasslands, agricultural areas, wetlands, and forests worldwide.
Diet
Barn Owls feed primarily on rodents like mice, voles, and shrews but will also eat other small animals such as rabbits, birds, and insects.
They hunt mainly at night by flying low over open areas using their exceptional hearing and vision to locate prey.
Nesting
Barn Owls do not build their nests, instead rely on natural or artificial cavities for their nests. These include hollow trees, barns, caves, church steeples, and nest boxes.
They lay 3-8 eggs per clutch, which hatch after about a month. The female does most of the incubation, while the male brings food to the nest.
Interesting facts
- Barn Owls are one of the world’s most widespread species of owls. They are sometimes called the “ghost owl” because of their silent flight and pale appearance.
- Barn Owls’ specialized hearing system allows them to locate prey in complete darkness.
- Barn Owls are considered to be a symbol of wisdom in many cultures around the world.
5. Short-eared Owl
The Short-eared Owl is a medium-sized owl common in many parts of the world. They can be seen in Alabama during the colder winter months when they migrate south.
They are known for their distinctive facial disk and the tufts of feathers that resemble ears.
- Length: 34-43cm (13.4-17 inches)
- Weight: 206-475g (7.3-16.8oz)
- Wingspan: 85-103cm (33.5-40.5 inches)
- Short-eared Owl Scientific Name: Asio flammeus
Appearance
Short-eared Owls have large rounded heads, small ear tufts, short tails, broad wings, and yellow eyes.
They have brownish feathers with white and dark streaks and a distinctive facial disk with black markings around their yellow eyes that resemble mascara.
Their chest and belly are pale with brown streaks, and females are larger and appear darker than the males.
Their “ear tufts” stick up from the top of their head, giving them a slightly comical appearance.
Habitat
You can spot Short-eared Owls in open habitats such as grasslands, marshes, prairies, farmlands, and tundra. They are migratory owls whose range stretches across North America and parts of South America.
Diet
Short-eared Owls hunt rodents such as voles, mice and lemmings. They will also eat small mammals such as rabbits, gophers, shrews, and birds along the coast.
They hunt by flying low over fields and grasslands, using their exceptional hearing to locate prey.
Nesting
Short-eared Owl females build their own nests on the dry ground among tall grass or shrubs using feathers and grass.
They typically lay 3-11 eggs per clutch, which hatch after about a month. Females primarily incubate the eggs, and males provide food for the females and the young.
Interesting facts
- They are known for their distinctive flight pattern and buoyant, moth-like style.
- They are considered a species of concern in many parts of the world due to habitat loss and degradation.
- They are one of the few owl species that are active during the day and night.
6. Burrowing Owl
Burrowing Owls are small, ground-dwelling owls in North and South America and are known for their long legs and comical appearance.
- Length: 19-25cm (7.5-9.5 inches)
- Weight: 130 -160g (4.5-6oz)
- Wingspan: 50-55cm (19.5-21.5 inches)
- Burrowing Owl Scientific Name: Athene cunicularia
Appearance
Burrowing Owls are small ground owls with long legs, short tails, and rounded heads.
They are brown above with buffy white spots and lighter below with brown barring on their belly.
They also have white throats, white eyebrows, and yellow eyes.
Habitat
Burrowing Owls prefer to live in open, grassy areas with low vegetation, such as prairies, deserts, and agricultural fields throughout North and South America, from Canada to Argentina.
Diet
Burrowing Owls hunt during the day and at night and eat a variety of prey, including large insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, moths, and scorpions, and small mammals such as voles, squirrels, and mice.
They are also known to eat small birds and reptiles and hunt by swooping down from an elevated perch, running prey down on the ground, or hovering above fields before grabbing prey with their talons.
Nesting
Burrowing Owls nest in underground burrows, which they dig themselves or use abandoned holes from other animals.
Females lay 4-10 eggs per clutch, which she then incubates for a month while the males provides the food.
Interesting facts
- Burrowing Owls are known for their habit of living in underground burrows.
- Burrowing Owls are active during the day and at night, making them one of the few owl species active during the day.
- They are social birds and often live in colonies, with multiple pairs of owls sharing the same burrow complex.
- Due to habitat loss and other factors, Burrowing Owls are a threatened species in many areas.
7. Northern Saw-whet owl
The Northern Saw-whet Owl is a tiny owl common throughout most of North America and can be seen in Alabama during the colder non-breeding season.
- Length: 18-21cm (7-8.3 inches)
- Weight: 65-151g (2.3-5.3oz)
- Wingspan: 42-48cm (16.5-19 inches)
- Northern Saw-Whet Owl Scientific Name: Aegolius acadicus
Appearance
Northern Saw-whet Owls are tiny birds of prey, with large rounded heads. They are about the same size as a Hairy Woodpecker.
They are reddish-brown above and white below with reddish streaks. They have white streaks and spots on the edges of their reddish facial disks, yellow eyes, and a dark bill.
Habitat
Northern Saw-whet Owls prefer to live in wooded areas and forests, especially those with various kinds of coniferous trees throughout much of North America, including Canada and the United States.
Diet
Northern Saw-whet Owls primarily hunt small mammals that live in the forest, such as mice and voles, but will also prey on small birds and large insects.
They hunt almost exclusively at night by watching or hearing prey from a perch before swooping to grab it with their talons.
Nesting
Northern Saw-whet Owls nest in trees up to 60 feet above the ground, usually in a natural cavity or a large abandoned woodpecker hole.
The female lays 5-6 eggs, which hatch after about a month. The females incubate the eggs and feed the young with food provided by the male.
Interesting facts
- Northern Saw-whet Owls are named for their “sawing” sound, which sounds like a saw being sharpened on a whetstone.
- These birds are primarily nocturnal and are rarely seen during the day.
- Northern Saw-whet Owls are sometimes preyed upon by larger owls, such as Great Horned Owls and Barred Owls.
- These birds are relatively long-lived for their size, with some individuals living up to nine years in the wild.
8. Long-eared Owl
The Long-eared Owl is a medium-sized owl found worldwide and is a resident of Alabama during the colder non-breeding season.
- Length: 35-40cm (13.8-15.8 inches)
- Weight: 220-435g (7.8-15.3oz)
- Wingspan: 90-100cm (35.5-39.5 inches)
- Long-eared Owl Scientific Name: Asio otus
Appearance
Long-eared Owls are medium-sized birds of prey with a wingspan up to three feet. They are slender-looking owls with narrow facial disks and long ear tufts.
Their feathers are a mix of brown, black, gray, white, and buff, which easily camouflage against their wooded habitats. They have yellow eyes set in vertical dark patches, streaks, and bars on their chest and bellies, and their facial disks are rusty brown.
The female Long-eared owl coloration is the same but darker and more streaked than the male.
Habitat
Long-eared Owls prefer to live in wooded areas that border open spaces, such as forests, meadows, and groves, where they can roost and hunt.
They are migratory owls and can be seen worldwide, including in North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Diet
Long-eared Owls are nocturnal hunters that feed on a variety of prey. They primarily hunt small mammals, such as mice, rats, gophers, and voles, but will also prey on small birds and reptiles.
They hunt in open areas where they can fly back and forth from various perches, locating prey but sight or sound before swooping down to catch it with their powerful talons.
Nesting
Long-eared Owls nest in trees up to 30 feet above the ground. They do not build their own nest but instead use the abandoned nest of other large birds, such as crows, ravens, or hawks.
The female lays 4-6 eggs, which hatch after about a month. The female incubates the eggs, while the male provides food for her and their young.
Interesting facts
- Long-eared Owls can be found roosting in groups called parliaments, especially during the winter months
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Kind Of Owls Live In Alabama?
Eight kinds of owl species live in Alabama during the year. These include the Barred Owl, Great Horned Owl, Eastern Screech-Owl, Barn Owl, Eastern Screech-owl, Short-eared Owl, Burrowing Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, and Long-eared Owl.
Are Barred Owls in Alabama?
Yes, Barred Owls are the most widespread owls in Alabama and can be found throughout the state all year round.
Are there Great Horned Owls in Alabama?
Yes, Great Horned Owls, like Barred Owls, are widespread Owls that live in Alabama.
Keep An Eye Out For Owls In Alabama
Alabama is home to various owl species, which birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts can see throughout the state’s diverse habitats.
If you’re lucky enough to spot one of these nocturnal creatures, take the time to appreciate their unique features and habits.
Whether you’re an avid birdwatcher or just someone who enjoys learning about nature, taking some time to learn about the eight species of owls in Alabama will provide you with the info you need to identify and appreciate them.
We hope this article has provided all the information you need. If you have questions about identifying more bird species in Alabama or finding out which ones live near you, let us know!
