Barred Owl (Strix varia)
The Barred Owl, a large native bird, is nocturnally active and difficult to spot due to its well-camouflaged, daytime perch on tree branches in the forest. Its preferred habitat is wooded areas, where it feeds on small terrestrial animals, primarily after sunset. This species remains territorial year-round.
- 🇫🇷 Chouette rayée
- 🇩🇪 Streifenkauz
- 🇲🇽 Cárabo norteamericano, Cárabo de franjas
Characteristics
- Length: 40-63cm
- Weight: ♂ 468-812g, ♀ 610-1150g
- Wingspan: 96-125cm
How to Identify
This larger owl's primary coloration ranges from grey to brown. Its back is brown with white spots, while the belly is white or pale grey with dark vertical lines. The eyes are dark, almost black.
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Where and When to Spot
This bird species prefers woodlands and forests. When inactive, it perches on branches high in the trees, but when hunting, it sits on a lower branch, typically no more than 5 meters above the ground. My first and, so far, only observation of this species was in Parc Michel-Chartrand.
Observations by Park and Season
| Location | Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parc Michel-Chartrand | - | - | x | - |
"-" indicates no observation. It may not necessarily mean though that the species is absent from the park during that season.