Strix varia                                                          Photo Fiona Sunquist ©

You are more likely to hear this owl than see it.  Its loud “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?” call is often heard and easily recognized.  Barred owls are relatively large birds, standing about 1.5 – 2 ft (0.46-0.6 m) tall with a wing span of 40-50 inches (101-127 cm).

Barred owls live in woodlands and swamps, especially in forests with large trees.  They hunt from perches, feeding on small mammals, birds and insects. 

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