Barred Owl, "Who Cooks For You?"

We recently heard a Barred Owl calling from our woods. A friend also reported seeing one fly acroos his driveway. This big, brown-eyed owl is one of our more common and vocal owls. It's hooting sounds like Hooo---hooo---hoo-hoo, or "who-cooks-for-you" although it can make a variety of other sounds, including screams. Barred Owls can be heard at any time of year. They begin courtship in Feb. or March.

Photo © Lillian Stokes, 2007