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Nothing is more exciting than spotting an bird of Minerva in your backyard if you live in Maryland . These magnificent birds of prey are a beautiful sight to behold . If you ’re an avid birdwatcher , you ’re belike eager to identify which eccentric of owls are gossip your place .
There are 8 owl species find in Maryland , including the Great tusk Owl , Barn Owl , Short - Eared Owl , Snowy Owl , Long - Eared Owl , Barred Owl , Eastern Screech - Owl , and Northern Saw - Whet Owl . While several of these owl species have their preferred coupling and migratory kitchen stove , it ’s potential to spot a drifting or irrupting bird of Minerva in country outside their known territories . If you see an owl in Maryland that is not on this inclination , consider yourself golden !
Legend for the following owl rangemaps
The legend below can be used to assist you set where each of the 8 bird of night of Maryland lives during dissimilar portion of the year .
The 8 Species of Owls in Maryland
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius acadicus
Order : Strigiformes
house : Strigidae
Legend for the following owl rangemaps
Size:8 - 8.5 in . ( 20.3 - 21.5 cm )
These owls are light and compact . At just 8 inches in duration and with a wingspan of 22 inches , northerly saw - whet owl are among the humble owls in the United States . Northern saw - whet owls wish to prey on cervid mice , using their sharp beaks to tear their prey into lowly pieces , bump up a single mouse into several meals . Because these owls are nocturnal , and because they ’re so small , they can be difficult to track . But their piercing rallying cry make it easier to locate them in their forest homes . Northern saw - whet hooter are mostly solitary creatures , only socializing with their match . female have been be intimate to have two mates , leave the first to rear a brood with the second . These bird of Minerva have porphyrin pigments in their plume , and when light up with a ultraviolet light , the ventral side of the offstage shows a Ne pink colour . This serve researcher ascertain an owl ’s long time .
Named because its call sounds like a sawing machine being sharpened on a whetstone , saw - whet hooter have small heads and cat - like face with comparatively large yellow eyes . With rust fungus - colored cover , breasts , and wings , northern power saw - whet owls have espy heads and distinctive Y - shaped marking on their faces . These owls use a motley of vocalizations to communicate . They ’re most easily identified by their strident “ too - too - too ” birdcall , which they use to attract mates . The cries of northerly saw - whet owls are so gimcrack that they can be heard nearly 1,000 feet away .
One of the most common owl in the U.S. , the northerly saw - whet prefers to dwell in peck forests . They can be found year - round of drinks in California , New Mexico , Utah , and Colorado , and in the northeast states , Minnesota , Wisconsin , Michigan , New York , and all the way through to Maine . These owls can be discover in other territories , too , during non - breeding times . It ’s not unheard of to see northerly power saw - whet owls throughout the midwestern United States , including Kansas , Missouri , and Illinois .
Great Horned Owl
genus Bubo virginianus
Size:18 - 26 in . ( 46 - 63 cm )
Far from meek , Great Horned owls have been known to hound other birds of prey , including ospreys , peregrines , and even other owls . With their strong talon , these birds can exert 28 - pounds of force out allowing them to undertake bigger prey . expectant orned owls are a major scourge to other birds , especially jays and crow . In fact , if you ever hear a great group of these birds making a pettifoggery , there ’s a good opportunity it ’s because a great horned owl has buzz off too faithful to their nest . The great horned owl ’s plumage is ultra - soft , and this provide the beast with several benefits . For starters , it protect them from the abrasive cold . But it also muffles vocalise , allow them to fly silently as they swoop up down on their fair game . Interestingly , although the female of the metal money are magnanimous than the males , female have higher - pitched voices , and twin duet often synchronize their birdsong .
The neat horned owl is well identify by a matching pair of tufts on either side of its head , giving it a horned appearance . They have grey to cherry - brown block up plumage and golden yellow optic that do not move within the socket . These shuttlecock can turn out their principal 180 degrees to see and hear what ’s going on around them . Facial feather discs aid direct soundwaves to their ear , allowing them to get over their quarry , and their wide flank enable them to flee dexterously , with serrated primary feather dispersing turbulence and soft feathers muffling speech sound .
These magnificent owls can be line up in every state in the country except Hawaii . These hooter are aboriginal to the Americas , and they ’re extremely adaptable , dwelling in forested , rural , and urban orbit likewise . While you ’re nonimmune to see a great horned owl just about anywhere , keep your oculus unclothe near wooded area , especially along treelines as these birds like to perch near subject fields to come up their prey .
Snowy Owl
genus Bubo scandiacus
Size:20.5 - 27.9 in . ( 52 - 71 cm )
Snowy owls are the with child bird of night , with adults average between 3 and 5 pounds . Their dense plume makes them weightier , but it also permit them to withstand the stale temperature of the Arctic tundra . These are hefty birds at roughly 28 inches long with a wingspread of 57 in . They ’re aggressive , too , using their sharp talons and strong foot to defend their territories from predator and competitors . These bird of night hunt almost exclusively during the daytime and can feed more than 1,600 lemmings in a twelvemonth . Their voracious appetency can have a devastating impact on their food supplying , but these skilled fliers are unforced and able-bodied to fly south in search of prey . Snowy bird of night populations have declined 64 % since 1970 due to illegal hunt and fomite collision , as well as climate change .
juvenile person of the specie have brownish and black markings over a base of white plumage . As these birds mature , they recede most of their marking . At matureness , Male will be almost pure blank , with females retaining some of their patternings . These owls have husky voices and use a sort of margin call , the most frequent of which is a rhythmic “ krooh - krooh - krooh - krooh ” .
Snowy owls do n’t live in the United States all twelvemonth long , however , they do wintertime in the northern states . you may see white hooter from Washington all the way across to Maine . In years when their favored prey was especially limited , snow-white owls were sighted as far south as Florida , so it ’s possible to spot one of these beauty no matter where you are in the U.S.
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeus
Size:14.5 - 15 in . ( 37 - 38 cm )
A classic birdwatcher favorite , curt - eared owls William Holman Hunt during the daytime and can be find throughout the United States . These owls are some of the few that favour to build their own nests . female person make their bowl - mould nest in the land , lining them with feathers , grasses , and other soft material before put clutches of 4 to 7 ball . Short - eared owls have very distinctive flight of stairs radiation diagram , with temporary wingbeats alike to that of bats or moths . These shuttle are typically 17 in in length and have wingspans of up to 43 inch . They apply their hefty wings to quell good as they swoop up foot - first to capture their prey , which consists of small mammals , rodent , reptiles , and amphibians . Short - eared owl sometimes dine on songbirds and will charge the flank off before swallowing them whole .
The pinna tufts of the short - eared owl are locate towards the center of their heads , and they ’re so short that sometimes they may not be seeable at all . Short - eared owls have tawny plumage on their backs and offstage with tan bellies that are interspersed with vertical dark brown streaks . Tailfeathers are banish . These owls have small , round faces with wan tan to creamy white facial disks accented by black - brim yellow eyes . suddenly - eared bird of Minerva practice sharp “ waowk - waowk - waowk ” calls to convey and “ eeee - yerp ” cries during the mating season .
splendid long - distance broadside , short - eared owls have been report landing on watercraft one C of land mile from shore . These dame will fly over the sea and land to strain their breeding grounds in northern Canada . you could find suddenly - eared owls live year - rhythm in the north and northwesterly portions of the United States . But , because they travel regularly , you could espy stragglers in virtually every state of matter in the res publica . These birds prefer to dwell in open areas , including grasslands , marshes , and farmland .
Barred Owl
genus Strix varia
Size:19 - 22 in . ( 48.25 - 56 cm )
Masters of camo , barricade owls can be tough to spot . Fortunately , their loud hooting call “ Who cooks for you ? Who cooks for you all ? ” are easy to hear . block hooter prefer to dwell in woods where they can traverse down rabbits , squirrels , and even raccoon . These owls saw a serious universe manna from heaven in the twentieth hundred , thrive their cooking stove to include forestland in the westerly states . blockade owl lean to stay close to home throughout their life history , often only travel around a 6 - mile radius . Like barn owls , barred owls are monogamous and do most of their hunting at night .
With their deep dark-brown eyes and patrician unit of ammunition face , barred owls look exactly as you would bear hooter to look . These bird are deal in red - brown feathers with white-hot horizontal chevron or ginmill . bar hooter are most commonly spotted on the edges of forests at dusk , where they can easily locate their prey .
Once relegated to southeastern Canada and New England , the block owl expanded westward . These owl can now be found in parting of Minnesota , Nebraska , Kansas , and Oklahoma . debar bird of night have become quite adaptable , and can be spotted in urban area as well as rural regions . These dame are passing territorial , with paired pairs get into hoot matches with outsiders so as to defend their homes .
Barn Owl
Tyto alba
household : Tytonidae
Size:12.5 - 16 in . ( 32 - 40 cm )
easy recognized by their pallid heart - shaped face , barn hooter are some of the most far-flung bird of Minerva in the human race . These owls flourish in comeuppance and grasslands , but can even be found in opposite regions . Barn owls are especially common on farm , where they wish to hunt for discipline mice among the crops in the morning and even , and where they can take shelter in barns during the daytime . With their serrate backstage , these fearsome marauder vanish noiselessly as they go in for the kill . Barn bird of Minerva are monogamous , pair for life . They do not make nests but prefer to consist their eggs in the hollows of tree diagram . The amount of solid food these birds receive has a direct impact on how many egg they lay — the more vole , crumb , and shrews they consume , the more owlet in their brood .
Barn hooter are quite rangy compared to other owls . They have large hazel to browned eye set in concave , heart - shaped facial expression that are surround by a delicate outline of pallid browned feathers . Barn bird of night are milk ashen in color with tan and rust dark-brown feathers on their rear and extension . These bird of Minerva do not hoot but rather prefer to pass along via screeches .
you may find the barn bird of night in all but the uppermost neighborhood of the U.S. Even though these birds are vulgar throughout the nation , their universe is dwindling somewhat due to abode loss . Barn bird of night reside class - round as far south as Texas and Arizona , as far east as Pennsylvania , and all across the Pacific Northwest .
Eastern Screech-Owl
Megascops asio
Size:6 - 10 in . ( 16 - 25 centimeter )
sport 5 race , easterly screech - owls are small-scale birds maxing out at just under 10 - inch in length . These bird of night are monogamous and less flighty than other hooter , oft living in nuzzle boxes and even using birdbaths to wash up . Eastern screech - owl are typically easy to blemish because they feed on songbird during the day . This little raptor ’s size of it test delusory . These are highly territorial dame , even from a youthful geezerhood . immature eastern screech - bird of Minerva will struggle amongst themselves for solid food , and may even kill the little and weakest of their siblings — an routine cognise as siblicide that is vulgar in bird of prey .
Eastern screech - owl are brusk , stocky birds with little heads and square tails . These hooter happen in grey morphs and red ( or rufous ) morphs , with some bird of Minerva present brown plumage . The colour of each eastern screech - owl depends on the type of forest it resides in , as its colouring helps to camouflage it from potential predators . These are very vocal owls that use trill calls to attract mate and intercommunicate with their syndicate . Their distinctive whinny - like screeches are laborious to miss !
Eastern screech - owls opt to live in forests but are often happy to subsist in urban areas , too . you could discover the eastern screaming - owl from Vermont to Montana , in a blanket range sweeping all the way down to Texas and back across the province to Florida . These birds can be found in wooded , rural , and suburban configurations .
Long-Eared Owl
Asio otus
Size:14 - 16 in . ( 35 - 40 cm )
At 15 inches in length and with an impressive wingspan of 39 inches , the long - eared owl has been lie with to steal nest away from jays and crow to raise their own vernal . This somewhat knotty owl can be sturdy to find , favour to search tax shelter in dense timberland . And , unfortunately , its universe has decline 91 % since 1970 . Unlike most bird of night , long - eared owls are not very territorial and opt to bank on their camouflage to enshroud from potential predators . When confronted , most long - eared owls simply fly off . Because these hiss can be flighty , they can be tough for birdwatchers to track down . But if you are golden enough to spot a long - eared bird of night , keep your eyes peeled for more — long - eared bird of night roost in groups of 6 to 50 .
At first glance , the long - eared hooter greatly resembles the smashing tusk owl . But a closer inspection reveals that long - eared bird of Minerva possess a classifiable V - work feather pattern on their faces . The tuft of feather that make up their face disks surround bright orange center , giving them a surprised formula . The 2d readiness of feather tufts sitting on top of their heads gives them their iconic long - eared appearance These are gangly birds that have tan typeface with vary feather in shades of brown , tan , gray , and lily-white .
Long - eared owls live yr - round in Wyoming , Nevada , Colorado , Arizona , New York , Michigan , and Wisconsin . During the breeding time of year , these birds venture further northerly to Montana , North Dakota , and Minnesota . These boo can be spy in all but the southernmost portion of Florida , Alabama , Mississippi , Louisiana , and Texas . Long - eared owls prefer to live in exposed spaces that have dumb clusters of scattered tree , provide them with a secure place to seek tax shelter as they hunt for small mammals .
How to Attract Maryland Owls to Your Backyard
While some hooter , like the boreal owl and the whiskered shriek - hooter , stave off man and can be elusive to witness , other bird of night , like the barred owl and eastern and western screech - owls , are much easier to draw .
Installnesting boxeson trees , poles , and fences to encourage your neighborhood bird of Minerva to take up residence on your place . Leaving brush , woods piles , and old lawn trimming provide homes for voles , field mice , rabbits , pouched rat , andsnakes . Having mess of these critters nearby is a surefire way to get your local owl ’ care .
Because many bird of night like to feed onsongbirdsandsquirrels , set up a bird birdfeeder andgetting a hiss bathcan also promote owls to give you a sojourn . Of of course , some birds play to scare owls off . jay , crows , blackbird , hill myna , and starlings regularly rout bird of Minerva , so take measures to dash these bird away — take down starling nesting boxes , and remove cracked corn and peanuts from your feeders , which are the preferable foods of these wench .
Owls get laid to sit on poles and in leafless Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree because they make it easier for them to spot prey . Make certain your owls have plenty of spot to perch on . you may also attract these birds by limit your outdoor activity , especially in the former morning and former eventide minute when they like to hunt . Together , all of these measures will help your neighborhood bird of Minerva feel right at home in your backyard .
All State Owls
require to see what bird of night species are determine in other states ? Here ’s our complete list of owls found in each commonwealth :
