Barred Owl

We often hear Barred Owls (Strix varia) calling, and occasionally spot them in the trees surrounding our house. Our bird feeding efforts also attract lots of squirrels, chipmunks, and other small rodents. This makes it a good hunting ground for owls. The Barred Owl pictured here was perched near the house late one evening, and I was able to photograph it through our living room windows. We watched it as it looked around toward the ground. Suddenly it glided down onto the forest floor and caught something. It was nearly dark, and I was not able to get a very good photograph of the owl on the ground with its prey. However, the victim was undoubtedly a Gray Squirrel, because its tail can be seen protruding from under the front of the owl. The owl soon flew off with its catch, and we lost sight of it in the forest.

The Barred Owl has caught a Gray Squirrel