Owls of Canada List

World Owl Species: 151 Owls of Canada Species: 16

Barn Owl Tyto alba Size: 35–50 cm (14″–20″), Wingspan to 1.1 m (42″), Weight 460 gr (1 lb) Nest: Coastal British Columbia south of Vancouver, southern Ontario

Crow-sized owl with white, heart shaped face, dark eyes and long legs
Rusty brown above, white or light below with fine, dark dots
Darkest birds are always females, palest birds are males
The most widely distributed owl in the world
Mice make up 75% of their diet
Strictly nocturnal, roosting during the day in cavities or farm buildings
Pairs mate for life
Voice is a long, hissing shriek
Do not build a nest, but lay 5-10 white eggs directly on floor of cave, cavity or building rafter
If food is scarce they lay fewer eggs, or don’t breed at all
When being fed, young birds utter a hissing note like the sound of escaping steam
Lifespan up to 17 years
Endangered due to loss of habitat, lack of nesting sites

Barred Owl Strix varia Size: 42–60 cm (17″–24″), Wingspan to 1.2 m (50″), Weight 720 gr (1.6 lb) Nest: British Columbia, northern Alberta, Saskatchewan and southern Manitoba through to the Maritimes Gray brown overall with cross barred neck and breast; streaked belly and dark eyes

Does not have ear tufts
Also called ‘hoot owl’ or ‘black-eyed owl’
Active day or night
Uncommon to rare in low, wet woods or dense mixed coniferous forests
Can hear the squeak of a mouse from 46 m (150 ft) away
Frequently drink water and bathe in open water even in winter
Said to wade into water to catch fish
Voice is a strong hoo hoo ho-ho
Use the same nest site annually; both sexes incubate eggs
Two to four white eggs laid in existing tree cavity
Lifespan up to 23 years

Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus Size: 20–30 cm (8″–12″), Wingspan to 0.5 m (21″), Weight 135 gr (4.7 oz) Nest: British Columbia and across northern Canada Also called ‘Richardson’s owl’ or ‘Sparrow Owl’

Brown with white spots above and rust streaked breast
Heavily spotted forehead and yellow bill
Dark ‘V’ pattern on the face creates an angry expression
Whiteish facial disc has black border
Does not have ear tufts
Uncommon to rare in boreal coniferous or mixed forests and muskeg
Strongly nocturnal, roosting in thick cover during the day
Virtually fearless of man
Eskimos thought their ease of capture was because they couldn’t see in daylight
Dependent on old woodpecker holes for nesting
Preys on small rodents, birds and insects
Four to six white eggs laid in existing tree cavity
Sometimes shelters in abandoned igloos in the Arctic or barns during severe weather
Lifespan up to 15 years

Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia Size: 23–27 cm (9″–11″), Wingspan to 60 cm (24″), Weight 155 gr (5 oz) Nest: Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan

A robin sized, ground dwelling owl with long legs, a short tail and yellow eyes; no ear tufts
Face is framed in white with a blackish collar
Uncommon, found only in grasslands or agricultural fields
Nocturnal but often seen perched on fence posts or farm machinery during the day
Voice is a high, trumpeting coo coooo
Eat small rodents and insects, particularly grasshoppers
Flight is low and undulating, often hovering close to the ground
Nest and roost in underground burrows lined with grass, roots and animal dung, laying 7-10 white eggs
Live in pairs or colonies in the abandoned burrows of prairie dogs or ground squirrels
Have the largest clutches of any North American owl, occasionally up to 12 chicks
Do not share a burrow with rattlesnakes; the defensive sound made by the young mimics the rattle
Flight speed up to 19 kmh (12 mph)
Lifespan up to 11 years
Endangered due to habitat loss and the use of pesticides on their insect prey

Flammulated Owl Otus flammeolus Size: 15–17 cm (6″–7″), Wingspan to 0.4 m (16″), Weight 60 gr (2.1 oz) Nest: British Columbia

A small owl slightly larger than a sparrow
Have small, indistinct ear tufts, reddish edges on the facial disk
Variegated red and/or grey plumage; light below with white and rust coloured markings
The only small North American owl with dark eyes
Uncommon and difficult to find in in coniferous woodlands and forest edges
Nocturnal, roosting during the day in tree cavities, often those previously used by woodpeckers
Nest in tree cavities, laying 3 or 4 white eggs
Voice is a low, soft poot or podo podo repeated every few seconds
Forages for insects at night and roosts in tree cavities during the day
Eat primarily insects captured with their feet

Great Grey Owl Strix nebulosa Size: 60–82 cm (24″–33″), Wingspan to 1.3 m (52″), Weight 1,080 gr (2.4 lbs) Nest: Yukon, Northwest Territories and British Columbia to Ontario

Canada’s largest owl, and look much heavier than they are
Very fluffy with a long tail and large head with yellow eyes, no ear tufts
Plumage is grey with dark, smudgy markings; black chin spot bordered by white patches like a bow tie
Large, heavily ringed facial disc makes the eyes look small
Smaller eyes than most are an adaptation to diurnal hunting
Voice is a series of up to 10 deep, muffled hoots
Hunt for small mammals at night, or at dusk and dawn and can be active during the day
Do not build nests but will enlarge an old one
Lay 2 to 5 white eggs in a bulky stick nest located in dense conifers
Do not migrate, but will irrupt into hunting areas with high rodent population cycles
A very secretive bird, discovered by Europeans in America before they realized it also lives in Europe
Provincial bird of Manitoba

Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus Size: 45–62 cm (18″–25″), Wingspan to 1.1 m (44″), Weight 1,400 gr (3.1 lbs) Nest: Canada wide

Broad head has prominent, wide spaced ear tufts
Grayish or brownish above, mottled and streaked underneath, tawny orange facial disc with white throat
Color is variable, ranging from nearly white in the Arctic to dark brown and grey in the south
Voice is a series of deep muffled ho hoo hoo hoododo
Active day or night; called the `winged tiger’ for their hunting ability
Take medium sized prey such as rabbits, skunks, grouse
Use a regular feeding post near the nest, where they bring prey to be torn up and eaten
Have attacked people wearing fur hats, mistaking them for prey
Does not migrate
One of the first species to breed each winter, so the young are old enough to hunt returning species
Do not breed until two years of age
Nest in stick nests in trees, in caves, or on the ground, laying 2 or 3 white eggs
Provincial bird of Alberta
Flight speed 64 kmh (40 mph)
Lifespan up to 29 years

Long-eared Owl Asio otus Size: 32–40 cm (13″–16″), Wingspan to 1 m (36″), Weight 260 gr (9 oz) Nest: Across southern Canada

Nearly crow sized, with long ear tufts set close together
Heavily streaked and barred on the belly; rusty facial disc
Long black `ears’ are actually feather tufts which are flattened against the head in flight
Usually solitary; a few may roost together in winter but they are so silent they are seldom seen
The most secretive owl species, strictly nocturnal
Inhabit dense deciduous and coniferous forests
Pretend to be wounded to lure intruders away from the nest
If disturbed on their roost, they raise ear tufts and compress feathers, looking like the stub of a tree limb
Hunt small mammals at night, and roost next to tree trunks during the day
Voice is a soft, low wooip every few seconds
Generally silent except for breeding season
Four or five white eggs laid in a stick nest
Lifespan up to 27 years

Northern Hawk Owl Surnia ulula Size: 35–42 cm (14″–17″), Wingspan to 0.7 m (28″), Weight 320 gr (11 oz) Nest: Across northern and central Canada

Black bordered facial disc, underparts cross barred with dark brown, long tail, no ear tufts
Found in open spruce woods and near bogs
Perch on tree tops or poles to watch for small mammals
Hawk-like posture and flight give them their name
Often hovers over open ground
Inhabit boreal and coniferous forests and muskeg
More active during the day than other forest owls
Very tame, and can be approached closely
Voice is a series of popping popopopopopo
Have been seen following farmers loading hay bales onto wagons and pouncing on uncovered mice
Basically non-migratory but will retreat from northern-most part of range in winter
Eat small mammals, birds and insects
Lay 3 to 7 white eggs in the hollow tops of spruce trees, tree cavities or abandoned stick nests

Northern Pygmy Owl Glaucididium gnoma Size: 17–20 cm (7″–8″), Wingspan to 0.3 m (12″), Weight 70 gr (2.5 oz) Nest: Southern British Columbia and Alberta

A sparrow sized owl with a small round head
Plumage is dark brown with pale bars, dark streaks and a spotted crown
Dark head has white ‘eyebrow’ over the eyes
Long tail is often moved or cocked sideways when perched
Have two black spots on the back of the neck that look like eyes
No soft wing feathers to muffle the sound of flight; rely on speed and agility instead of surprise·
Inhabit areas of open coniferous or mixed deciduous forest
Have a ferocity and strength out of proportion for their size, which is about that of a bluebird
Voice is a series of toots repeated every few seconds
Perch in trees to hunt for small birds
Mainly nocturnal, but will hunt during the day
Lay 3 to 6 white eggs in an existing tree cavity

Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus Size: 17–20 cm (7″–8″), Wingspan to 0.4 m (17″), Weight 80 gr (2.8 oz) Nest: Across southern and central Canada

The smallest northern owl
Also called ‘Sparrow Owl’
Large head has a prominent white ‘V’ on the face, and whiteish streaks
Fluffy plumage is reddish brown above with reddish streaks on a lighter belly, and a reddish facial disc
Yellow eyes, dark bill and no ear tufts
Found in mixed coniferous and deciduous forests
Active at night and roosts in dense trees during the day
Usual food is insects but occasionally take small rodents or birds
Voice is a series of low toit toit whistled toots
Name comes from their two note call
Remarkably tame owls and nearly fearless of man
Lay 5 or 6 white eggs in an existing tree cavity
Lifespan up to 17 years

180px-Megascops_asio-gray — Photo © Greg Hume

Western Otus kenicottii Nest: British Columbia Eastern Otus asio Nest: Southern Saskatchewan through to Quebec Size: 17–25 cm (7″–10″), Wingspan to 0.5 m (20″), Weight 180 gr (6 oz)

Plumage variable; brownish red to gray
Small and stocky; a large head, broad wings and short tail
Ear tufts prominent when raised, and they have a flat headed look when tufts are down
Strictly nocturnal, foraging at night for insects and rodents
Usually solitary
Roost in tree cavities during the day
Nest in tree cavities, laying 3-8 white eggs
Uncommon but widespread in forests, swamps, parks
Voice is a series of shot pwep pwep pwep whistles
Call is really a soft, mournful whinny that aroused fear and suspicion among early settlers
Lifespan up to 13 years

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus Size: 32–42 cm (13″–17″), Wingspan to 1 m (38″), Weight 350 gr (12 oz) Nest: Across Canada in grassland areas

Crow sized and slender, with barely visible ear tufts
Crow sized and slender, with barely visible ear tufts
Pale tawny brown overall with a heavily streaked underside and a dark triangle around each eye
Long-winged owl of open country, marshes and tundra
Have a high pitched, rasping call like the bark of a small dog
Voice is a muffled poo poo poo in a quick series
Fly low over the ground and hover briefly before swooping down
Roost on the ground, occasionally in large groups
Gregarious in winter and may gather where prey is abundant
Less nocturnal than other owls and often seen in daylight
Eat rodents and small mammals
Adults will perform `crippled bird’ act to lure intruders from nest
Live in the grasslands of every continent except Australia
Flight speed 42 kmh (26 mph)
Suffers from loss of natural habitat conversion to agriculture
Listed as a species of Special Concern on COSEWIC

Snowy Owl Nyctea scandiaca Size: 50–67 cm (20″–27″), Wingspan to 1.3 m (52″), Weight 1,830 gr (4 lbs) Nest: Open Arctic tundra

Mostly white in all plumages; first year birds have dark barring on the body and head; yellow eye
Dark bars and spots heaviest on juveniles and females; old males may be pure white
Winters in open fields in southern Canada and northern USA, perching on fence posts or poles
Canada’s heaviest owl
Completely encased in feathers from their toes and foot pads to the tip of their beak
Most active at night, hunting small rodents and birds
Require very large territories, up to 10 sq km (4 sq mi) due to the scarcity of prey on the tundra
Hoots can be heard more than 3 km (2 mi) away
Has the most northerly distribution of any owl
Lemming population determines the number of eggs; if rodents are abundant up to 13 can be laid
Nest in a shallow ground depression lined with feathers
Flight speed 80 kmh (50 mph)
Provincial bird of Quebec
Lifespan up to 14 years

Spotted Owl Strix occidentalis Size: 40–47 cm (16″–19″), Wingspan to 1.1 m (40″), Weight 610 gr (1.3 lb) Nest: Southwestern British Columbia

Large, rounded headed owl with white spotting on head, back and underparts; dark eyes
Found in canyons and humid forests of coniferous trees
Strictly nocturnal, and seldom seen because of their retiring habits during the day
One of their calls is similar to that of a baying hound
Voice is a strong, rhythmic hooting whup hoo hoo hoooo
Pairs mate for life
Lay 2-3 white eggs on the bare floor of a tree cavity
Mates occupy a home range of 1,000 ha (2,500 acres)
Hybridizes with barred owl where ranges overlap
Prey on small rodents, birds and insects
Decreasing in numbers and range where they can be found
Very endangered due to loss of first growth forest habitat