Barred Owl

 

Written and narrated by Ann Nightingale, a birder and volunteer with Rocky Point Bird Observatory

 

Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all? Have you heard that sound before? If you have, you heard a Barred Owl! Barred Owls weren’t always here at Swan Lake, but now they are heard—and
seen—quite often. Look near the trunks of the trees. Can you find one? This species from the east came to Victoria through a process called range expansion.
 

Some owls—like Barred Owls—are just as good at hunting in the daytime as they are at night. They hunt fast prey like mice, snakes, and even other birds, but sometimes they hunt very slow animals,
like earthworms on pavement after the rain. They sometimes even catch fish! Their silent flight and strong talons make them a perfect predator.
 

Barred Owl nests are difficult to find. Like most owls, they don’t actually build a nest, but find a suitable place to lay their eggs and raise their young. They are cavity nesters. That means that they
will usually look for a hole or a gap in a large tree. The female will spend most of her time on the nest with the young owls while the male will hunt for food for the family. Once the baby owls have left the nest, both parents will provide them with food. The begging call of the owlet sounds nothing like the call of the adult. It sounds more like a rising hiss or metallic scrape. The babies are cared for by their parents for several weeks after they fledge.
 

In many cultures, owls are symbols of change. Barred Owls have been a symbol of their own change in this area. From their first arrival about 50 years ago, they are now the most likely owl that you will find in Victoria! They can be seen in residential neighbourhoods, forests, parks, and even downtown.  Wherever there is good food to be found, you just might run into a Barred Owl! They are very good at ridding areas of rats and mice, but this ability sometimes puts them in harm’s way. If they catch and eat a rodent that has eaten poisoned bait, they can also be poisoned.
 

One of the things I like about Barred Owls is that they will look right at you with their forward-facing dark brown eyes. They don’t seem to fear people, and as long as you give them space, they don’t
seem to mind if you watch them for a long time.
 

One of the best ways to find an owl is to listen to the other birds in the forest. If you hear them making a big fuss, there’s a good chance there is a predator in the area. Find the birds, look at what
they are looking at and you might just be surprised to find an owl yourself!