Barred owls (Strix varia) are nocturnal birds of prey that are known for their loud, raucous calls that resonate through the night. These vocalizations, often described as screams, hoots, or cackles, are a defining characteristic of these owls and often strike fear into the hearts of listeners unaccustomed to the noise.
Territorial Defense
One of the main reasons barred owls vocalize at night is to establish and defend their territories. Barred owls are highly territorial, with each pair occupying a breeding territory of around 200 acres on average. The male and female duet together with a variety of calls to ward off intruders, including other barred owls looking to set up a territory nearby.
Territorial calls serve to delineate the boundaries of a mated pair’s domain and warn intruders not to trespass. The calls also allow mated pairs to locate one another if they are temporarily separated. Males have a hooting call that rises in pitch at the end, often phrased “who-cooks-for-you.” Females make a lower pitched response. By calling back and forth, mated pairs can find one another even in dense, dark forests at night.
Locating Mates
Unmated barred owls also vocalize at night when looking for potential mates. The calling serves to attract partners that may be within earshot. Once a male and female locate one another through their calls, they may continue calling as a duo to establish a new territory together.
Communicating With Offspring
Once a mated pair of barred owls succeeds in breeding, the vocalizations continue as a means of communicating with eggs and chicks. Female barred owls become especially vocal just before their eggs hatch, perhaps to stimulate the young owlets inside the eggs to start pipping out. Once the chicks hatch, the parents continue to call to the begging young at night throughout the nesting period.
Prey Location
In addition to social functions, barred owl vocalizations may also serve a predatory purpose. The calls can startle small animals like mice, squirrels, and rabbits, causing them to freeze or reveal their location to the owls through sound. One theory suggests that barred owls may scream to essentially flush out prey animals from hiding. Their excellent auditory skills allow them to pinpoint the location of frightened prey in the dark.
Myth: Bad Omen
In some cultures, hearing a barred owl’s nighttime screaming provokes superstitious dread. The owls are seen as a bad omen or sign of death. However, barred owls do not actually scream before someone dies. Their vocalizations all serve natural purposes like territory defense and have no supernatural connections.
Adaptations for Night Calling
Barred owls possess several adaptations that allow them to communicate so effectively in the darkness:
- Exceptional hearing – Their ears are asymmetrically placed at different heights on their head so they can pinpoint sound sources in multiple dimensions.
- Sound funneling facial disk – The concave disks of facial feathers on their face help direct sound waves towards their ears.
- Large vocal repertoire – They have an extensive vocabulary of different calls, allowing complex communication.
- Highly vocal – Their very loud voices carry far through the forest at night.
When Are Barred Owls Most Vocal?
Barred owls vocalize throughout the year, but they tend to peak in their calling at certain times:
- Late winter/early spring – Calling ramps up as pairs reconnect and establish breeding territories.
- Late spring – Vocal activity peaks as pairs nest and produce young.
- Fall – Young owls start calling more to find their own territories and mates.
In general, barred owls are most vocal from February through July during the breeding season. However, they will call and respond to other owl calls anytime at night.
Call Types and Meanings
Barred owls have an extensive repertoire of vocalizations. Some of their most common calls and associated meanings include:
Call Type | Sound Description | Meaning |
---|---|---|
Hooting | Low-pitched hoots in a rhythmic pattern, rising in pitch at end | Used by males to establish territory and attract mates |
Cackling | Loud, raucous cackles | Aggressive territorial defense |
Ascending hoots | A series of short hoots increasing in pitch | Female solicitation of a mate |
Screams | Prolonged, shrill scream sound | Excitement/alarm |
Begging calls | High-pitched cheeping sounds | Communication with mates and offspring |
Best Times to Hear Barred Owls
Since barred owls are strictly nocturnal, the prime times to hear their vocalizations are after sunset and before sunrise. However, they may call sporadically at dawn and dusk as well. The hours just after darkness falls and before it lifts tend to be most active. Night calling peaks between February and July during breeding season.
To increase your chances of hearing barred owl calls, visit large tracts of mature forest at night. Listen for their signature “who cooks for you” hooting to identify barred owls in the area. Patiently waiting near owl territories around water sources may increase your likelihood of detection as well.
Conclusion
The jarring screams and hoots of barred owls in the dark serve important purposes for the birds beyond haunting listeners. Territorial defense, mating, communication, and hunting all drive barred owls to call out in the nighttime hours. Their vocal adaptations allow effective communication even in inky blackness. Though chilling to the unsuspecting human ear, the barred owl’s screaming is simply a natural part of its daily existence.