Washington state is home to a diverse array of owl species. Owls play an important role in the state’s ecosystems and fascinate birdwatchers and nature lovers. In this article, we will provide an overview of the different types of owls that can be found in Washington, their identifying features, habitat, diet, and conservation status.
Owl Species in Washington
There are 8 species of owls that are considered regular residents or migrants in Washington state. These include:
- Barn Owl
- Barred Owl
- Great Horned Owl
- Long-eared Owl
- Northern Hawk Owl
- Northern Pygmy-Owl
- Northern Saw-whet Owl
- Short-eared Owl
In addition, there are a few other owl species that are considered rare visitors or vagrants in the state, such as the Snowy Owl, Eastern Screech-Owl, and Flammulated Owl.
Barn Owl
The Barn Owl is a distinctive, medium-sized owl with a heart-shaped facial disk, dark eyes, and a buff to whitish underbody. It gets its name from its habit of nesting in barns and other manmade structures. Barn Owls are found in open habitats including grasslands, agricultural areas, and along forest edges throughout Washington.
Barn Owls have acute hearing that allows them to locate prey in total darkness. They feed mostly on small rodents like mice and voles. Barn Owls are uncommon to rare summer residents east of the Cascades and rare year-round west of the Cascades. They face threats from habitat loss and nest disturbance.
Barred Owl
The Barred Owl is a stocky, medium-sized owl with brown eyes, no ear tufts, and horizontal brown and white barring on the breast and vertical barring on the belly. It inhabits dense, mature forests across Washington and is most numerous in the western part of the state.
Barred Owls have a varied diet including small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. They are opportunistic hunters that can take prey on the ground and in trees. Barred Owls are year-round residents throughout Washington state.
Great Horned Owl
Great Horned Owls are large, powerful owls with prominent ear tufts, yellow eyes, and mottled brown plumage. They are found in a wide variety of wooded habitats across Washington. Great Horned Owls are the earliest nesters of all owl species in Washington.
These adaptable owls have an extremely diverse diet ranging from rabbits and hares to smaller rodents, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. They are common year-round residents throughout the state.
Long-eared Owl
The Long-eared Owl is a slim, medium-sized owl with prominent ear tufts, orange eyes, and buff and brown streaked plumage. In Washington, they are associated with dense, coniferous forests, particularly in the interior. Long-eared Owls roost communally in thicket habitats.
Voles and mice make up the majority of their diet. They are uncommon year-round residents east of the Cascades and rare west of the Cascades. Loss of nesting habitat is a concern for the species.
Northern Hawk Owl
The Northern Hawk Owl is a slim, long-tailed owl with a hawk-like appearance and yellow eyes. Their plumage is brown above with white spotting and barred brown and white below. In Washington, they are found in open coniferous forests, forest edges, and burnt forest openings.
Northern Hawk Owls feed mostly on small rodents and birds. They are uncommon winter visitors west of the Cascades with periodic irruptions. Conservation efforts focus on preserving wintering habitat.
Northern Pygmy-Owl
The Northern Pygmy-Owl is a tiny owl with a rounded head, no ear tufts, and a long tail. Adults have brown plumage with white spotting above and streaking below. They inhabit open, mature coniferous forests across Washington.
Despite their small size, Northern Pygmy-Owls are fierce predators of small birds, mammals, and insects. They are uncommon year-round residents across most of Washington.
Northern Saw-whet Owl
The Northern Saw-whet Owl is a very small owl with a large, rounded head lacking ear tufts. Their plumage is brown above and white with reddish-brown streaking below. In Washington, they are found in dense, coniferous and mixed forests.
Northern Saw-whet Owls feed on small rodents and birds. They are uncommon year-round residents but may be nomadic in winter. Loss of mature forest habitat is a concern.
Short-eared Owl
The Short-eared Owl is a medium-sized owl with short ear tufts that are barely visible. Their plumage is mottled brown overall with buff and white on the breast and belly. Short-eared Owls inhabit open country including grasslands, marshes, and agricultural areas.
Voles comprise the majority of their diet. In Washington, they are uncommon winter visitors and migrants west of the Cascades and rare east of the mountains. Habitat loss threatens Short-eared Owl populations.
Snowy Owl
The Snowy Owl is an arctic species that rarely migrates south to Washington in winter. These large, white owls with yellow eyes inhabit coastal areas, marshes, and agricultural fields when visiting the state.
Snowy Owls feed mostly on small rodents. They are considered an irregular winter visitor to Washington and do not breed in the state.
Eastern Screech-Owl
The Eastern Screech-Owl is a small owl with ear tufts, a boldly streaked belly, and color morphs ranging from gray to red. In Washington, they are extremely rare vagrants found in woodlands.
These owls feed on insects, small mammals, birds, and reptiles. There are only a handful of Eastern Screech-Owl records for Washington state.
Flammulated Owl
The Flammulated Owl is a tiny, insect-eating owl with dark eyes and cryptic, mottled plumage. In Washington, they are rare summer residents of ponderosa pine and oak forests in the southern interior.
Flammulated Owls feed mostly on moths and other insects. Habitat loss is a major threat, and there are estimated to be fewer than 100 breeding pairs in Washington.
Owl Habitats in Washington
The various owl species found in Washington are adapted to thrive in a range of habitat types across the state including:
- Old-growth forests – Barred Owls, Northern Spotted Owls
- Coniferous forests – Great Horned Owls, Northern Pygmy-Owls
- Mixed forests – Northern Saw-whet Owls
- Forest openings – Northern Hawk Owls
- Grasslands – Short-eared Owls
- Wetlands – Short-eared Owls
- Urban areas – Barn Owls, Eastern Screech-Owls
- Agricultural areas – Barn Owls, Short-eared Owls, Snowy Owls
The preservation of a mosaic of natural habitat types across Washington is important to maintain healthy owl populations in the state.
Owl Diets
Owls fill an important niche as predators in Washington’s ecosystems. They help control populations of small mammals, birds, and insects in both natural and human-altered environments. The diets of Washington’s owls include:
- Small rodents – voles, mice, rats (most species)
- Large mammals – rabbits, hares (Great Horned Owls, Snowy Owls, Barred Owls)
- Birds – songbirds, woodpeckers, gamebirds (Northern Hawk Owls, Northern Pygmy-Owls)
- Reptiles and amphibians (Great Horned Owls, Barred Owls)
- Fish (Great Horned Owls, rarely other species)
- Invertebrates – insects, spiders, scorpions (Flammulated Owls)
Raptors like the Great Horned Owl also occasionally prey on smaller owl species. The varied eating habits of Washington’s owls make them an important part of ecosystems across the state.
Owl Conservation
Some Washington owl species like the Northern Spotted Owl face significant conservation threats from habitat loss. Others like the Snowy Owl do not breed in the state but rely on preserved wintering grounds. Owl conservation efforts in Washington include:
- Protecting old-growth forest habitat in state and national parks/wilderness areas.
- Setting aside natural forest buffers and corridors on public and private timber lands.
- Managing forests with sustainable logging practices that maintain owl habitats.
- Protecting wetlands and grasslands from development.
- Installing nest boxes and platforms for species like Barn Owls and Screech-Owls.
- Educating landowners and the public about owls and their importance.
- Monitoring populations through surveys like the annual Christmas Bird Count.
With sound conservation policy and habitat protections, Washington’s owl species will continue thriving across diverse landscapes and providing value to ecosystems and people alike.
Conclusion
Washington state provides important habitats for a diverse assemblage of owl species. These range from tiny Northern Pygmy-Owls to large Great Horned Owls and fill critical ecological niches as predators of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. While some species like the Barred Owl are common statewide, others such as the Flammulated Owl have small, threatened populations in Washington. Protecting habitats through public lands conservation and sustainable forest management on private lands are key to ensuring healthy owl populations continue gracing Washington’s forests, grasslands, wetlands, and urban areas.