Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

Appearance:
Large, powerful owl
Bold, yellow eyes
Long, ear-like tufts
Prominent facial disk
Mottled brown plumage with white and black barring
White throat
Horizontal bars on belly

Listen to its call.

Although I often hear a pair of these outside my bedroom window at night, this is the first time I've seen one in the daylight.  He/she was napping in a tree by the Swan Lake parking lot this morning. Despite its size, the owl managed to blend in with his surroundings remarkably well.

Learn more about the Great Horned Owl.

Long-eared Owl

Asio otus




















Appearance:
Medium-sized, slender owl
Long, erect, black ear tufts with buff/orange fringes
Brownish feathers streaked with buff and black
Buffy-orange facial disc with blackish rim
Two vertical white lines between eyes
Yellow eyes

Listen to its call.

These owls supposedly roost in dense foliage, where their camouflage makes them hard to find. I think maybe this one needs to work on that a bit. He was sitting on a low branch next to the busy Lochside Trail walking path, full exposed for all to see.

Learn more about the Long-eared Owl.

Northern Saw-whet Owl

Aegolius acadicus

Appearance:
Small owl
No ear tufts
White facial disk, outlined in brown and white
Brownish head, including forehead, covered with white streaks
Brownish upper parts with white spots
White underparts, streaked with brown
Large, bright yellow-orange eyes
Black bill

Listen to its call.

The Northern Saw-whet Owl is about 7 inches in height, approximately the size of a Downy Woodpecker but with a much larger wingspan. Because of their small size, Saw-whet Owls often fall prey to larger owls and eagles. This little cutie was attacked by a Barred Owl from which he sustained injuries.  Following his recovering at a wildlife hospital in December 2012, I had the privilege of releasing him back into the wild to continue his migration south. 

Learn more about the Northern Saw-whet Owl.


Additional photos:

Short-eared Owl

Asio flammeus

Appearance:
Medium-sized owl
Large, round head
Prominent facial disc
Yellow eyes
Black around eyes
Streaked upperparts
Light below with streaked upper breast
Short ear tufts, seldom visible
Long wings with dark patch near wrist
Barred tail

Listen to its call.

A number of these owls were hanging around Boundary Bay on the weekend, on the opposite side of the path from the Snowy Owls. Unlike yesterday's bird, this one was quite active, frequently leaving its perch to swoop down on unsuspecting prey.

 

I always thought the expression 'to have eyes in the back of your head' was figurative but owls literally are able to see what is going on behind them. How cool is that?

 Learn more about the Short-eared Owl.

Snowy Owl

Bubo scandiacus

Appearance:
Large, bulky owl
Round head
Yellow eyes
Mostly white
Varying amounts of dark mottling
Adult male may be pure white

Listen to its call.

On a visit to Vancouver this weekend, we stopped at Boundary Bay in Delta to see the Snowy Owls that have been reported in the area. It seems that a lot of other people had the same idea. It was quite a busy place. Thankfully, almost everyone respected the owls' space and kept their distance. 

This bird was perched on a log not too far from the pathway, swiveling its head around in classic owl fashion.

Learn more about the Snowy Owl.

Barred Owl

Strix varia

Appearance:
Medium-sized owl
Round head with no ear tufts
Dark-bordered facial disc
Large, brown eyes
Yellow, hooked bill
Brown upperparts with white markings
White underparts with brown markings
Horizontal bars on chest
Vertical stripes on belly

Listen to its call.

Today was a monumental day; I finally got an owl for my blog. This bird was snoozing in the forested area next to the Swan Lake parking lot this morning. Although it did open its eyes briefly once or twice, the number of people in the area didn't seem to disturb its day-time sleep. I guess that is something that all noctural animals in the city must learn to adapt to. (According to Grammar Girl, it’s okay to end a sentence with a preposition).

Apparently, the Barred Owl's ability to adapt has resulting in it being the most common owl on Southern Vancouver Island.

Learn more about the Barred Owl.