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Nothing is more exciting than spotting an owl in your backyard if you live in Illinois . These magnificent birds of fair game are a beautiful slew to behold . If you ’re an avid birdwatcher , you ’re believably eager to distinguish which types of hooter are visiting your attribute .
There are 9 owl specie recover in Illinois , including the Snowy Owl , Barn Owl , Northern Hawk Owl , Short - Eared Owl , Eastern Screech - Owl , Barred Owl , Long - Eared Owl , Great Horned Owl , and Northern Saw - Whet Owl . While several of these owl species have their preferred sexual union and migratory cooking stove , it ’s potential to spot a vagabond or irrupting owl in area outside their known dominion . If you see an owl in Illinois that is not on this list , consider yourself lucky !
Legend for the following owl rangemaps
The caption below can be used to help you determine where each of the 9 owls of Illinois lives during unlike parts of the class .
The 9 Species of Owls in Illinois
Snowy Owl
genus Bubo scandiacus
Order : order Strigiformes
folk : Strigidae
Legend for the following owl rangemaps
Size:20.5 - 27.9 in . ( 52 - 71 atomic number 96 )
Snowy owls are the heaviest bird of Minerva , with grownup average out between 3 and 5 pounds . Their dense plume makes them obese , but it also allows them to withstand the cold temperatures of the Arctic tundra . These are powerful boo at rough 28 inches farsighted with a wingspan of 57 inches . They ’re aggressive , too , using their sharp talons and strong foot to support their territories from piranha and competitors . These owl hunt almost alone during the day and can eat more than 1,600 lemming in a year . Their esurient appetites can have a withering shock on their food supplying , but these skilled fliers are willing and able to fly south in search of fair game . Snowy bird of night population have declined 64 % since 1970 due to illegal hunt and fomite collisions , as well as clime change .
juvenile person of the species have brown and black marker over a foundation of white plumage . As these bird maturate , they suffer most of their grading . At maturity date , male will be almost pure lily-white , with female retaining some of their patternings . These owls have gruff vocalisation and use a mixture of shout , the most frequent of which is a rhythmic “ krooh - krooh - krooh - krooh ” .
Snowy owls do n’t live in the United States all year long , however , they do wintertime in the northerly states . you may see snowy bird of night from Washington all the path across to Maine . In years when their preferred quarry was peculiarly limited , snowy owls were sight as far south as Florida , so it ’s possible to spot one of these beauties no matter where you are in the U.S.
Barn Owl
Tyto alba
sept : Tytonidae
Size:12.5 - 16 in . ( 32 - 40 cm )
easy recognize by their pale kernel - forge faces , barn owls are some of the most widespread owls in the world . These owls flourish in deserts and grassland , but can even be found in polar regions . Barn bird of Minerva are especially common on farm , where they care to trace for field mice among the crops in the sunup and evening , and where they can take shelter in barns during the daytime . With their serrated wings , these fearsome predator fly noiselessly as they go in for the putting to death . Barn owl are monogamous , felt up for life . They do not build nest but opt to lie their ballock in the hollow of trees . The amount of food for thought these birds receive has a direct impact on how many eggs they repose — the more field mouse , rats , and shrewmouse they exhaust , the more owlet in their brood .
Barn hooter are quite gangling compared to other bird of Minerva . They have large hazel to brown eye set in concave , sum - influence faces that are surrounded by a delicate scheme of pale chocolate-brown feathers . Barn hooter are milk blanched in vividness with tan and rust brown feathers on their back and backstage . These owls do not hoot but instead choose to communicate via screeching .
you’re able to find the barn owl in all but the uppermost region of the U.S. Even though these Bronx cheer are common throughout the nation , their universe is dwindle down somewhat due to habitation loss . Barn hooter reside year - beat as far south as Texas and Arizona , as far east as Pennsylvania , and all across the Pacific Northwest .
Northern Hawk Owl
genus Surnia ulula
Size:13.5 - 17.5 in . ( 33.5 - 44.4 cm )
As birds of quarry , bird of night must rely on all of their senses to shut in on a putting to death . But the northern hawk owl prefers to hunt by view and can spot its target from an amazing distance of half a sea mile aside . These bird of Minerva have poorer hearing than most others because their ear opening are not asymmetrical . Still , they can track small mammalian beneath a foot of snow if need be . As their name mean , the northerly hawk owl prefers to stick to the northernmost portion of North America , but stragglers have been known to find their way south as food becomes scarce . northerly hawk bird of night nest in dead tree and vacuous stump , where they raise clutches of 3 to 11 testicle at a time . Fearless and confrontational , northern hawk owls will attack anything that wanders too tight to their nesting website , whether it ’s a squirrel or a man .
war hawk hooter look like owls , but act like hawks , perch in crown and searching for their target right on out in the clear during the daylight hour . These owls are characterize by long tail and lowly round head surrounded by a edge of dark brown plume . Their vibrant yellow eyes and beak stand in complete contrast to their red - dark-brown plume . Northern vend owls have near solid brown backs and striped front and employ shrill rolling whistles to attract potential mate .
These magnificent bird do not live in the United States yr - round , but they do wish to drop their winters here . you could find the northerly hawk bird of night in the forests of the northmost body politic , include New Hampshire , Vermont , and New York all the way to the west , in Washington , Idaho , and Montana .
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeus
Size:14.5 - 15 in . ( 37 - 38 cm )
A classic birdwatcher favorite , inadequate - eared owls hunting during the daylight and can be found throughout the United States . These bird of Minerva are some of the few that prefer to build up their own nests . female construct their bowl - form nests in the ground , lining them with feathers , grasses , and other flaccid materials before laying clutches of 4 to 7 eggs . unawares - eared owls have very classifiable trajectory blueprint , with irregular wingbeats standardized to that of bats or moths . These birds are typically 17 column inch in distance and have wingspread of up to 43 inches . They use their potent wings to persist unsloped as they swoop foot - first to capture their quarry , which consists of small mammalian , rodents , reptiles , and amphibians . Short - eared bird of Minerva sometimes dine on songbirds and will tear the wings off before swallowing them whole .
The ear tufts of the short - eared hooter are fix towards the center field of their head , and they ’re so short that sometimes they may not be seeable at all . Short - eared bird of night have tawny plumage on their backrest and wing with tan bellies that are interspersed with erect morose brown bar . Tailfeathers are barred . These owls have small , pear-shaped faces with pallid tan to creamy blanched facial disc accented by black - brim yellow middle . unawares - eared hooter apply precipitous “ waowk - waowk - waowk ” calls to communicate and “ eeee - yerp ” cry out during the mating time of year .
Excellent farsighted - aloofness fliers , short - eared owl have been cover land on watercraft hundreds of miles from shore . These birds will fly over the sea and land to pass their breeding ground in northerly Canada . you may find shortly - eared owls living year - round in the north and northwesterly share of the United States . But , because they go on a regular basis , you could spot stragglers in almost every res publica in the country . These birds opt to dwell in exposed areas , including grassland , marshes , and farmland .
Eastern Screech-Owl
Megascops genus Asio
Size:6 - 10 in . ( 16 - 25 cm )
Featuring 5 subspecies , eastern screech - owls are small birds maxing out at just under 10 - inch in length . These bird of Minerva are monogamous and less skittish than other bird of night , oft live in nuzzle boxes and even using birdbaths to lave up . easterly screech - bird of night are typically loose to recognise because they prey on songbirds during the daytime . This little bird of prey ’s size proves deceptive . These are highly territorial birds , even from a untried age . Young easterly screech - bird of night will oppose amongst themselves for food , and may even kill the pocket-sized and unaccented of their siblings — an act known as siblicide that is common in birds of fair game .
Eastern screech - owls are short , stocky birds with small read/write head and square tails . These hooter occur in gray morphs and violent ( or rufous ) morphs , with some owls demo brown plumage . The color of each easterly screech - bird of Minerva depends on the eccentric of forest it resides in , as its food colouring help to camouflage it from likely predators . These are very vocal bird of Minerva that habituate quaver calls to pull mate and communicate with their families . Their typical nicker - like screeches are hard to neglect !
easterly screech - owls prefer to inhabit in timber but are often well-chosen to live in urban areas , too . you’re able to find the eastern shrieking - owl from Vermont to Montana , in a encompassing range sweeping all the direction down to Texas and back across the state to Florida . These birds can be ground in wooded , rural , and suburban configurations .
Barred Owl
Strix varia
Size:19 - 22 in . ( 48.25 - 56 cm )
Masters of camo , barred owls can be tough to make out . Fortunately , their gimcrack hooting calls “ Who cook for you ? Who cooks for you all ? ” are easy to hear . Barred bird of night favor to dwell in timber where they can track down rabbits , squirrels , and even raccoons . These owls saw a serious universe boom in the 20th century , amplify their range to let in forestland in the western nation . Barred owls be given to stay close to place throughout their life , often only traveling around a 6 - mile radius . Like barn owls , barred owls are monogamous and do most of their hunting at night .
With their rich brown center and gentle round faces , barred owls attend exactly as you would expect bird of night to await . These birds are covered in crimson - brown feathers with white horizontal stripes or bar . block owl are most commonly discern on the edges of forests at dusk , where they can easily locate their fair game .
Once relegated to southeastern Canada and New England , the block hooter expanded westwards . These owls can now be found in parts of Minnesota , Nebraska , Kansas , and Oklahoma . Barred owl have become quite adaptable , and can be spotted in urban areas as well as rural regions . These bird are extremely territorial , with mated span getting into hoot matches with outsiders in lodge to defend their domicile .
Long-Eared Owl
Asio otus
Size:14 - 16 in . ( 35 - 40 centimeter )
At 15 inches in distance and with an telling wingspread of 39 inches , the long - eared bird of night has been known to steal nests aside from jays and crows to raise their own young . This somewhat tough bird of Minerva can be tough to find , preferring to attempt shelter in heavy woodlands . And , regrettably , its universe has declined 91 % since 1970 . Unlike most owls , long - eared bird of night are not very territorial and prefer to rely on their camouflage to hide from potential predators . When face up , most long - eared owls simply fly out . Because these birds can be spooky , they can be tough for birdwatchers to track down . But if you are lucky enough to spot a long - eared owl , keep your middle pare for more — long - eared bird of Minerva roost in groups of 6 to 50 .
At first glimpse , the long - eared owl greatly resembles the swell horn owl . But a closer review reveals that long - eared bird of Minerva possess a distinctive V - shaped feather pattern on their face . The tufts of feathers that make up their case disks hem in bright orange heart , giving them a surprised grammatical construction . The second set of feather tuft ride on top of their heads gives them their iconic long - eared appearance These are gangling birds that have tan faces with variegate plumage in shade of brown , tan , gray , and white-hot .
Long - eared owls hold out year - round in Wyoming , Nevada , Colorado , Arizona , New York , Michigan , and Wisconsin . During the breeding season , these shuttlecock venture farther north to Montana , North Dakota , and Minnesota . These birds can be make out in all but the southernmost portion of Florida , Alabama , Mississippi , Louisiana , and Texas . Long - eared owl prefer to live in open space that have dense clusters of scattered Tree , provide them with a safe place to seek tax shelter as they hunt for belittled mammals .
Great Horned Owl
genus Bubo virginianus
Size:18 - 26 in . ( 46 - 63 atomic number 96 )
Far from meek , Great horn owls have been known to hound other birds of prey , including fish hawk , peregrine , and even other bird of Minerva . With their strong talons , these birds can exert 28 - pounds of force allow them to tackle bombastic prey . Great orned bird of night are a major threat to other shuttle , especially jays and crow . In fact , if you ever hear a large group of these boo making a fuss , there ’s a good chance it ’s because a enceinte horned owl has gotten too unaired to their nests . The great horned bird of night ’s plumage is radical - cushy , and this provides the animals with several benefits . For starters , it protect them from the abrasive cold . But it also muffles vocalize , grant them to vanish silently as they swoop down on their prey . Interestingly , although the females of the species are larger than the male person , female have higher - pitched voice , and tangle pairs often synchronise their calls .
The big horned owl is easy identify by a matching duet of tussock on either side of its head , giving it a tusk appearance . They have gray to red - browned barred plumage and prosperous yellow eye that do not move within the socket . These dame can spread out their head 180 degrees to see and get a line what ’s going on around them . Facial feather discs avail verbatim soundwaves to their ears , allowing them to track their prey , and their wide wing enable them to fly deftly , with serrate primary feathers dispersing turbulence and softer plumage dampen speech sound .
These magnificent owls can be found in every state in the land except Hawaii . These hooter are aboriginal to the Americas , and they ’re highly adaptable , dwelling in forested , rural , and urban areas likewise . While you ’re apt to see a majuscule horned bird of Minerva just about anywhere , keep your eyes peeled near wooded areas , specially along treelines as these skirt like to perch near open fields to incur their prey .
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius acadicus
Size:8 - 8.5 in . ( 20.3 - 21.5 centimetre )
These owls are short and summary . At just 8 inch in length and with a wingspread of 22 inches , northerly saw - whet owls are among the small owls in the United States . northerly saw - whet owls wish to prey on deer shiner , using their sharp beaks to tear their prey into smaller pieces , breaking up a undivided mouse into several meal . Because these bird of night are nocturnal , and because they ’re so small , they can be unmanageable to track . But their shrill cry make it promiscuous to locate them in their forest homes . northerly saw - whet bird of night are mostly lonely creatures , only socializing with their checkmate . female have been known to have two mates , leaving the first to promote a brood with the second . These owls have porphyrin pigments in their feathers , and when elucidate with a UV light , the ventral side of the wings shows a neon pinkish color . This help researchers determine an owl ’s old age .
Named because its call sound like a saw being sharpened on a whetstone , adage - whet bird of Minerva have small foreland and qat - same faces with relatively large chicken heart . With rust - color back , breasts , and wings , northerly saw - whet owl have spot heads and distinctive Y - shape markings on their expression . These owls practice a assortment of vocalism to pass on . They ’re most easily identify by their strident “ too - too - too ” calls , which they use to attract mates . The cry of northern saw - whet owls are so gaudy that they can be pick up almost 1,000 ft aside .
One of the most common owls in the U.S. , the northern sawing machine - whet prefers to dwell in mickle forests . They can be found year - round in California , New Mexico , Utah , and Colorado , and in the northeastern states , Minnesota , Wisconsin , Michigan , New York , and all the manner through to Maine . These owls can be check in other territories , too , during non - breeding times . It ’s not unheard of to see northern saw - whet owls throughout the midwest , including Kansas , Missouri , and Illinois .
How to Attract Illinois Owls to Your Backyard
While some bird of night , like the boreal bird of night and the whiskery screech - owl , fend off human being and can be tough to encounter , other owl , like the blockade bird of Minerva and eastern and westerly screech - bird of night , are much easier to draw in .
Installnesting boxeson trees , poles , and fences to encourage your neighborhood owls to take up residence on your prop . Leaving light touch , Sir Henry Wood piles , and old lawn trimmings provides place for voles , theater black eye , rabbits , gophers , andsnakes . Having plenty of these critter nearby is a surefire direction to get your local owls ’ care .
Because many owls like to feed onsongbirdsandsquirrels , setting up a bird feeder andgetting a bird bathcan also further owls to pay you a visit . Of of course , some shuttle figure out to frighten owls off . John Jay , vaporing , blackbirds , grackles , and starlings regularly rout bird of night , so take measures to scare off these birds away — take down starling nesting boxes , and remove cracked corn and peanuts from your feeders , which are the preferred foods of these birds .
Owls roll in the hay to sit on pole and in leafless trees because they make it leisurely for them to spot target . verify your owls have plenty of spots to perch on . you may also pull these birds by limit your outdoor action , peculiarly in the early morning and former eventide hours when they like to hunt . Together , all of these amount will aid your neighborhood owls feel right at family in your backyard .
All State Owls
Want to see what hooter specie are found in other states ? Here ’s our complete listing of bird of night come up in each State Department :
