Owls

The feather "horns" of these great horned owlets help them blend into their tree habitat/Photo Courtesy of Dr. Madeline Kalbach

Owls are known for their large, immobile eyes, their ability to rotate their heads more than 180 degrees and their stunning ability to catch prey in the dark. Although these birds of prey are primarily nocturnal, you may be able to locate them on a refuge visit. Listen for noisy mobs of songbirds and scan the trees in their location for roosting owls. Search the ground for reguritated pellets.

Barn Owl
Gold and white in color, barn owls have a unique heart-shaped face. Learn more about these highly secretive owls...
Barred Owl
Dark eyed and lacking ear tuffs, the barred owl calls, "Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all?" More common in the refuge forests than its cousin the spotted owl, it can be identified by its call and its streaked breast feathers. Discover more about the barred owl...
Great Horned Owl
This large, bulky owl has ear tufts or "horns" made of feathers. A fierce hunter, the great horned owl will catch and eat skunks and other owls. Uncover more about the life of this nocturnal hunter...
Snowy Owl
Rare winter visitors to the refuge, snowy owls irrupt from their arctic world every few years to appear in the dunes and on the beaches of the refuge. Learn more about snowy owls..