Hooters as in Owls….not the restaurant chain which is still “alive and well” according to their Instagram. In the north country, this time of year we start to hear owls courting and establishing territories with their hoots. In Minnesota our two primary species are the Great Horned and Barred Owls. Both species are calling now but their calls are very different.
The Great Horned Owl, the bigger and fiercer of the two owls, has a quiet hoot which often can be hard to hear unless it is close by or on a cold night when sound can carry. When hearing a pair, their calls will alternate back and forth with their soft hoots.
Great Horned Owl - Source: Ted Floyd xeno-canto.org
Great Horneds do not build nests but instead use an abandoned squirrel, crow or hawk’s nest which can be found out in the open or hidden away in a pine tree. They will also nest in large cervices or on the top of hollowed trees. Clutch sizes are about 2 to 3 eggs, incubated for just over a month. After hatching the owlets stay in the nest for 6 to 8 weeks before branching out to the nearby trees and woods. The parents will continue to fed the owlets for several more months right into early fall.
Last year in Savannah GA, a web cam set up on an osprey nest, captured a pair of great horneds raising a single owlet. The video images are fantastic and really shed light into the nesting behavior of these owls - here is a 4 minute video of the nesting highlights - highly recommend watching.
Our other owl, the Barred Owl, is very vocal and has a rather long standard call, best remembered as saying “Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all”.
Barred Owl - Source: Christopher McPherson xeno-canto.org
During courtship, the Barred Owl gets very raucous with loud calls and monkey-like sounds that can wake you up in the middle of the night.
Barred Owl - Source: wisconagus xeno-canto.org
Barred owls begin nesting in March, about a month later than great horned owls. They are cavity nesters, nesting in hollow trees or nest boxes. Usually 2 to 3 eggs are incubated for a month and the owlets leave the nest 4 to 5 weeks after hatching. Like the great horned, the barred owl parents will continue to feed the owlets in the woods for months over the summer.
