Birds of Texas

Barred Owl (*Strix varia) 18"-22"

© Walter Bauer, Sugar Land, Texas - 1998

Field Marks: An owl with a puffy round head. This is a large gray-brown hornless owl of river woodlands. The large liquid brown eyes and the manner of streaking and barring. Barred crosswise on puffy chest and streaked lengthwise on belly. Back spotted with white.
Voice: Hooting is more emphatic than Great Horned Owl's but not so deep. The sound may be like a barking dog. Usually it consists of eight accented hoots, in two groups of four: hoohoo-hoohoo-hoohoo-hoohooaw. The aw at the close is it's characteristic.
Where found: Canada (east of Rockies) to Honduras.
Texas: Resident through out the eastern, northern, and central Texas; west to the Panhandle, Edwards Plateau and south to Corpus Christi.  This particular picture was taken at Brazos Bend State Park in Oct 1998.

Habitat: Woodlands or wooded river bottoms.

Nest: In a tree cavity or old nest of a hawk. Lays (2-3) white.