5 Most Common Species Of Owls In North Carolina

Some species of owls have been identified in North Carolina. So if you are wondering if there are owls in North Carolina, then I have got you covered in this post.

In fact, North Carolina has been a home for different birds with over 81% residing in Eastern North America. With that said, Here are some of the common species of owls that have been found in North Carolina;

Owls In North Carolina

1. Spotted owl
2. Northern Pygmy Owl
3. Flammulated Owl
4. Barn Owl
5. Boreal Owl

let’s get to it

READ: What Do You Call A Group Of Owls?

1. Spotted Owl

True owls include the spotted owl (Strix occidentalis), and they have been identified a couple of times in North Carolina though.

It nests in tree hollows, abandoned bird of prey nests, or rock crevices and is a resident species of old-growth forests in western North America.

In most cases, nests hold two eggs and can reach heights of between 12 and 60 meters (39 and 197 feet) (though some contain as many as four). It is a nocturnal owl that eats both birds and small mammals.

Three subspecies are identified, with distributions ranging from Mexico to British Columbia. Due to pressure from habitat loss across much of its range, the spotted owl is now considered to be a near-threatened species.

The average length and weight of a spotted owl are 43 cm (17 in) and 114 cm (45 in), respectively (1.3 lb). Its eggs are white, silky, and somewhat gritty in texture, and they are just over 50 mm (2.0 in) long.

The spotted owl resembles the barred owl in appearance, but it bears cross-shaped patterns on its underparts, whereas the barred owl alternates between barred and streaked areas on its breast.

Compared to spotted owls, barred owls are larger and grayer. In recent years, barred owls (S. varia), which are more aggressive, have a broader diet, and can be found in a variety of habitats, have replaced the California and northern subspecies of the spotted owl.

From southwest British Columbia south through western Washington and Oregon to Marin County, California, the northern spotted owl’s territory is almost entirely contiguous.

The territory of California spotted owl overlaps that of the Cascade spotted owl in the southern Cascade Range and extends south through the western Sierra Nevada to Tulare County.

Discrete populations of the species are found in mountainous regions of coastal and southern California, from Monterey County to northern Baja California.

The Mexican spotted owl is found in isolated populations in mountain ranges and canyons in western Mexico (Sonora, Chihuahua, Nuevo León, and eastern Coahuila), as well as the Southwestern United States (Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and extreme western Texas).

Spotted owls can be found in a variety of hardwood and coniferous forest settings, but they favor old-growth, late-successional, closed-canopy, and unevenly-aged forests.

Chaparral and pinyon woods, particularly habitats in deep, steep-walled valleys with low canopy protection, may also be used by the Mexican subspecies.

The California subspecies forages in complex early seral woods that haven’t been logged thanks to wildfires, and more intense fires in a territory boost reproduction.

2. Northern Pygmy Owl

Western North America is home to the diminutive northern pygmy owl and it’s one of the most common species of owls you can see in North Carolina.

In fact, the northern pygmy owl is a native of Canada, Mexico, and the United States. However, in terms of color and size, adults are gray, brownish-gray, or rufous in color and measure 15–17 cm (5.9–6.7 in) in length overall.

This owl has a spherical, white-spotted head, a facial disc that is ill-defined, and a dark upper breast, wings, and a tail that is extremely lengthy in comparison to other owls.

And the bill is yellowish-green, and the eyes are yellow. On the back of its head, the bird has two black nape dots that resemble eyes and are bordered with white. White with darker vertical striping covers the mid to lower breast.

Down to the four well-armed toes on each foot, the legs are feathered. Their habitat consists of wetlands, savannas, and moist forests in temperate, subtropical, and tropical zones.

They are reported to nest and forage in the middle of thick, continuous woods close to streams in Oregon and Washington. In Portland, Oregon, USA’s Forest Park serves as an illustration of their environment.

And In western North America, their breeding habitat includes open to semi-open forests of foothills and mountains.

On sloped terrain, males will frequently perch near the top of the tallest accessible fir trees to make their territorial call, giving them the appearance of being somewhat ventriloquistic and upsetting observers on the ground hoping to catch a look.

However, they can be difficult to find due to their size and coloration, they are difficult to find.

3. Flammulated Owl

The Strigidae family of migratory tiny owls includes the flammulated owl, they are a native of North Carolina. However, the Psiloscops genus only has one species of that species.

The flammulated owl measures 15 cm (6 in) long with a 36 cm (14 in) wingspan. They can fly quickly between trees because of their unusually broad wings for their little bodies.

Also, the weight helps to distinguish between males and females. Males weigh between 50 and 52 grams (2.2 to 2.3 oz), while females weigh between 62 and 65 grams (2.2 to 2.3 oz) (1.8–1.8 oz).

The owl’s flame-like markings on its face give rise to its common name, flammulated.

The flammulated owl resembles the western screech owl in appearance, but it is only approximately one-fourth the mass, lacks big ear tufts (but does have small, scarcely perceptible ear tufts), has dark eyes, and has a different call.

The mountain pygmy owl is around the same size as the elf owl, which is smaller. A sequence of relatively loud, single, or double hoots makes up the call.

With that said, In terms of habitat, It breeds from central Mexico to the western United States and southern British Columbia.

It is a neotropical migrant and spends the winters primarily in South Texas, Arizona, and California, but also elsewhere. They migrate, unlike many owls, and depart from Canada and the United States in the fall.

From southern Mexico through Guatemala and El Salvador, they can also be seen in northern Central America during the winter. And In August, they depart from their breeding habitats and travel to their wintering sites.

In late April or early May, they return to their breeding grounds.

READ: Species Of Owls You Can Find In Michigan

4. Barn Owl

Except for the arctic and arid regions, Asia north of the Himalayas, most of Indonesia, and the Pacific Islands, the barn owl is one of the most widely distributed owl species in the world and one of the most common Owl species In the North Carolina.

To distinguish it from the other members of its family, Tytonidae, which constitutes one of the two major lineages of living owls with the other being the typical owls is also referred to as the common barn owl (Strigidae).

The western barn owl, which is found in Europe, western Asia, and Africa; the eastern barn owl, which is found in southeastern Asia and Australasia; and the American barn owl, which is found in the Americas, are at least three main lineages of barn owls.

There are up to five different species of barn owl recognized by some taxonomic authorities, and further research is required to unify the varying taxonomies.

Among the roughly 28 subspecies, there is a great deal of variety in size and color, but the majority are between 33 and 39 cm (13 and 15 in) in length, with wingspans ranging from 80 to 95 cm (31 to 37 in).

The underparts’ plumage ranges from white to brown and is occasionally flecked with dark patterns, while the head and back are a mottled shade of grey or brown.

In the majority of subspecies, the face is white and has a distinctive heart shape. And Instead of hooting, this owl makes a strange, prolonged shriek.

The majority of the barn owl’s range is at night, although in Great Britain and several Pacific Islands, it also hunts during the day.

Because of their keen hearing, barn owls are experts at hunting creatures on the ground, and the majority of their diet consists of small mammals.

Unless one of the owl pairs is murdered, which might lead to the formation of a new pair bond, owls often stay together for life. Depending on the region, breeding occurs at various times throughout the year.

5. Boreal Owl

A small member of the Strigidae family of “true owls” is the boreal owl, also known as Tengmalm’s owl which has been recorded in North Carolina.

The boreal owl is known for its shyness and tends to avoid response to human activity. In terms of size, the boreal owl measures 22–27 cm (8.7–10.6 in) in length and 50–62 cm in wingspan (20–24 in).

Also, a female bird weighs 131–179 g (4.6–6.3 oz), as opposed to a male bird’s average weight of 107 g (3.8 oz). The feathers are brown above with white flecks on the shoulders and rust-colored streaks on the whitish underparts.

A dull white facial disc and wide, yellow eyes give the owl a “surprised” appearance, according to some descriptions of its head. Unlike its relative, the northern saw-whet owl, which has a black beak, this owl has a pale yellow beak.

In northern North America, the Palearctic, and mountain ranges like the Alps and Rockies, the boreal owl breeds in deep coniferous woods. According to research, this species hardly migrates, but they do for some major reasons in sizable numbers.

Conclusion

There you have it; the most common owls in North Carolina.

• Spotted owl
• Northern Pygmy Owl
• Flammulated Owl
• Barn Owl
• Boreal Owl