Barred owls (Strix varia) are medium-sized owls native to North America. They are known for their distinctive calls which sound like “who cooks for you, who cooks for you all”. Both male and female barred owls vocalize and have their own unique calls.
Do female barred owls call?
Yes, female barred owls do call. In fact, female barred owls are often more vocal than males. They have a wide repertoire of vocalizations that they use for communicating different messages.
Some of the typical calls made by female barred owls include:
- Territorial calls
- Courtship calls
- Begging calls to their mates
- Alarm calls
- Food-associated calls
- Contact calls to stay in touch with their mate or offspring
So while the males are best known for their distinctive hooting, females also actively vocalize throughout the year for various reasons.
Territorial calls
Female barred owls use territorial calls to establish and defend their nesting territories. These calls are often voiced rapidly and sound like a series of hoots – “hoo-ah hoo-ahoo hoo-ah”.
Territorial calls tend to intensify in late winter and early spring as pairs start claiming their nest sites. Females may call solo or they may engage in duetting with their mate, with one bird calling first and the other responding.
These vocalizations help advertise that a territory is occupied and warn intruders away.
Courtship calls
Female barred owls also vocalize frequently during courtship in late winter and early spring. Courtship calls help attract and bond with a mate.
Some unique courtship calls made by females include caterwauling, cackling, and gurgling sounds. Females may also engage in duets with males, taking turns calling back and forth.
In addition, female barred owls often make begging calls during courtship. These high-pitched calls signal receptiveness and help maintain the pair bond.
Alarm calls
Barred owls have specific alarm calls that are used to signal danger or threats. Both females and males may make alarm calls year-round.
Alarm calls often sound like loud, raspy screams. They alert other owls in the area to potential predators like hawks or cats. Alarm calls are distinct from the territorial calls.
Females with nests may be particularly prone to making alarm calls to scare off perceived threats to themselves or their chicks.
Food-associated calls
Female barred owls often become very vocal when they have captured prey. These food-associated calls tend to be loud, repetitious hoots, and they serve to alert chicks that the mother has brought food.
If the chicks are older, they may call back in response. But for younger chicks still in the nest, food calls help guide them to the delivery site to be fed.
Contact calls
Contact calls help barred owls keep in touch with their mate or offspring. For females with a nest, contact calls allow them to communicate with chicks once they’ve left the nest.
These vocalizations are often described as a “kewick” sound. Contact calls help the owls reconnect if separated and also help chicks learn to hunt by following the adult.
When are female barred owls most vocal?
Female barred owl vocal activity tends to peak during two main time periods each year:
- Late winter/early spring (January to April) – Females call frequently during courtship and the establishment of nesting territories.
- Late spring/summer (May to August) – Females with active nests become very vocal to communicate with their mate and offspring.
Calling may start to wane a bit during late summer but picks back up again in the fall/early winter as territories re-establish. It reaches a peak in January-April again for courtship.
Do females or males call more overall?
Most experts agree that female barred owls tend to call more often than males over the course of a year. There are a few reasons why:
- Females are responsible for selecting nesting sites and defending the territory. Their frequent territorial calls help achieve this.
- Females begging calls and duets help ensure successful courtship.
- Females do majority of care for eggs and chicks, requiring constant vocal communication.
However, both sexes actively call throughout the year. And during peak calling seasons like courtship, the vocal activity of males and females is likely more equal.
Do female and male calls sound different?
Yes, there are noticeable differences between female and male barred owl calls:
- Females tend to have a higher pitched and more raspy or hoarse sounding voice.
- Males have a lower-pitched and more baritone, booming hoot.
- Females vocalizations have more variation, while the stereotypical “who cooks for you” call is mostly made by males.
The differences arise from anatomical differences like males having larger syrinx (vocal organs). But female and male calls often blend together, making sex identification tricky for unfamiliar listeners.
Why is vocal communication important?
Vocal communication serves many critical functions for barred owls. For example:
- Territorial defense – Calls establish occupancy of nesting sites and ward off intruders.
- Mate attraction – Calling helps females and males find each other and bond.
- Offspring care – Vocalizations allow parents to communicate with eggs/chicks.
- Food alerts – Calls inform young that the parents have returned with food.
- Warning signals – Alarm calls notify others of danger.
Therefore, the frequent, loud calls of female barred owls serve many invaluable purposes. The wide repertoire of vocalizations allows complex communication year-round between barred owls.
Conclusion
In summary, female barred owls do regularly vocalize and in fact call more often than males over the course of a year. Females use a diverse array of calls like territorial hoots, courtship duets, begging calls, alarm screams, food-associated hoots, and contact calls.
Female vocal activity peaks in the late winter/spring during courtship and again in late spring/summer when they have active nests. Calling allows effective communication with mates and offspring.
So while the classic “who cooks for you” call of the barred owl is made by males, females also have an impressive vocabulary. Their frequent, loud calls are critical for territory defense, courtship, and offspring care throughout the year.