Banner photos, clockwise, Snowy Owl, Barred Owl, Eastern Screech Owl, Owl feather, by Carol Freeman
Our monthly Up & Up feature on local birds of interest continues with this informative report on owls! Many owls visit Chicago or live here year round; find out more about this fascinating bird.
Many of our local migratory birds have left to avoid the winter cold, but December is still an exciting time for birding because many of our local owls are still very active. In and around Chicago, many begin their courtship and mating rituals, and that means a whole lot of hooting and excitement, making them easier to spot. We have some truly beautiful species in the area, such as Great Horned Owls, Short-eared Owls, Saw-whet Owls, Screech Owls, Barred Owls, and if you are lucky, the rare Snowy Owl. In today’s piece on the Up & Up, we’ll look to understand what makes these birds so special and where you can seek them out.
First, let’s understand what sets owls apart from other birds. Owls are a special kind of bird called a “raptor”, or bird of prey. This means that they are excellent hunters that prey on relatively large vertebrates such as mice, hares, and even fish. Owls belong to the Strigiformes order (always stay fresh on your scientific classification system!), and generally share the following characteristics: mainly solitary and nocturnal activity, a more upright stance than other birds, a broad head, sharp talons, and feathers that enable silent flight. Adding to their already formidable hunting ability is their excellent vision and hearing, which helps them locate prey with precision. Of course, there are other birds of prey that are excellent hunters (eagles, hawks, and falcons for example), but the nocturnal behavior, silent flight, and the owl’s “fluffy” appearance set them apart. Furthermore, an owl’s beak is short, curved, downward-facing, and hooked so it can grip and tear its prey.
Now that we know what makes all owls generally alike, let’s review some differences within this group of birds. There is quite a bit of difference in size, coloration, general appearance. For example, our local Great Horned Owl is among the largest, growing 25 inches in length, and having a wingspan 5 feet long! It is also a species that becomes very active in the winter. Comparatively, some species like the little Saw-whet Owl measure less than 9 inches long with a wingspan under 2 feet. Owls run the gamut of colors, from the mostly white Snowy Owl, the brown and white-spotted Burrowing Owl, to the mixed shades of brown, white, and dark brown Great Horned Owl. The color of an owl will suit its surroundings so it can remain camouflaged to give it yet another hunting advantage.
Within the broader group of owls, there are actually 2 families – Barn Owls and True Owls. Here are some quick ways to distinguish a Barn Owl from a True Owl, and a side-by-side comparison of one from each family.
Barn Owl
photo by Debra Herst
Great Horned Owl
photo by Joseph Galkowski
A Barn Owl has the following features:
· A prominent “facial disk”, giving the barn owl a broad, heart-shaped face
· A longer and downward pointing beak
· Longer legs
· Typically dark brown/black eyes
· Generally a have a cream and tan coloration
Winter is such a special time for Great Horned and Barred Owls because that’s when they begin their mating and courtship rituals. You might be wondering why owls choose to mate and nest during such a cold time of year – many owlets (baby owls) need to be with their parents for a longer time than other birds to learn how to hunt successfully on their own in time for the next winter. Many owls are monogamous, and behaviors between these monogamous pairs and individuals seeking a mate will differ. You might hear individuals seeking a mate, involving a lot of hooting and calling, or the beautiful duets that monogamous pairs can perform. Nocturnal owls rely mostly on calling to each other (this obviously works well because it’s dark!). However, the few diurnal (active during the day) species will engage in different flight and wing-clapping displays to attract a mate. One such example is the Short-eared Owl, which you can see in large grasslands in our area. Regardless if the species is nocturnal or diurnal, a male will also typically bring offerings of food to a female, and the acceptance of this food means that she has selected her mate!
It’s great to build our understanding of owls and how they reproduce, but which ones can we see in Chicago and the surrounding area? One quick note - not all of the nearby owls are engaging in courtship near us, but it’s still a great time to go see them. The best time of day seek out owls is around dawn and dusk. Also, if you are looking for Great Horned Owls in a forest preserve or local prairie, stay near the edges of the open space, where the woods and fields begin to intersect. These owls love having a good vantage point in trees overlooking the area – great for seeking out prey!
Now, let’s review some of our most prominent locals and where you might see them.
Great Horned Owl – One of the largest owls and most common to find in North America, in December it is already in the process of pairing up for mating season, and you’ll definitely be able to hear the chorus of hooting for this species. Some places to check out are Maple Grove Forest Preserve near Downers Grove and Eggers Grove.
Long-eared Owl – Not quite as large or as widespread as the Great Horned Owl, but easily identifiable because of its large “ears” on the top of its head. (These are actually tufts of feathers to help it blend in better, but its true ears are actually quite large for an owl and are concealed under its feathers). Some winter visitors have been spotted in North Pond in Lincoln Park, Chicago and in Rollins Savanna Forest Preserve in Lake County.
Short-eared Owl – Similar to its closely-named cousin, the Long-eared Owl, but with the obvious difference that its “ear tufts” are much smaller. This owl is particularly special because it is active during the day. This species breeds to our north in the spring, but they spend the winter in Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve near Naperville, Bartel Grassland in Matteson, and other prairie/wooded areas.
Eastern Screech Owl – These little guys can be found year-round in our area and will begin their breeding in February. The involved mating rituals involve bowing, raising wings, and clicking of the bill in males, and mated pairs will call in a duet. Sightings have been reported in La Bagh Woods Forest Preserve and Spring Valley Nature Sanctuary
Snowy Owl – this beautiful owl breeds in the Arctic, but will winter further south and sometimes venture down to our neck of the woods. They have been seen in the past in Chicago at Park No. 566 and Montrose Beach and in Illinois Beach State Park in Lake County.
Owls are truly a sight to behold, and a great reason to keep birding even in the cold winter months. Their chorus of mating calls will make them easier to find and really provide a multi sensorial bird-watching experience!
Here are some owl images taken locally by area photographers, Carol Freeman, Jamie Burning, Jerry Goldner and Michael Ferguson. Click on any image to see a larger version and view as a slide show. (On a mobile device, once in the slide show, press the white dot in the lower right to see the owl name and photographer.)
