Spotted Owl

The medium-sized spotted owl is known for its appearance and hence the name. The species is facing habitat loss to a mentionable extent due to deforestation.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Strigiformes
Family	Strigidae
Genus	Strix
Scientific Name	Strix occidentalis

Quick Information

Also Knows As	Chouette tachetée in French, Cárabo Californiano in Spanish
Description	Size: 17-18.9 in (43.1-48 cm) Wingspan: 39.8-45 in (101-114 cm)   Color: Dark brown body with white spots throughout, pale X pattern located diagonally between eyes
Distribution	From Southwestern British Columbia to California
Habitat	Coniferous forests
Subspecies	S. o. caurina or northern spotted owl S. o. lucida or Mexican spotted owl S. o. occidentalis or California spotted owl
Sounds & Calls	Whistling and hooting, sometimes like barking, “hup,hoo-hoo”
Lifespan	16-17 years
Diet	Flying squirrels, wood rats, deer mice, snowshoe rabbits, and voles
Adaptations	The strong beak is suitable for hunting its prey. The thick layers of feathers help them withstandthe cold weather
Predators	Great horned owls, Northern goshawks, and red-tailed hawks
IUCN Conservation Status	Near Threatened

Behavior

• The nocturnal bird sometimes forage during the day
• They fly and shift up and down to adjust themselves with the changing temperatures
• The spotted owl prefers to stay alone except for the breeding season

Mating and Reproduction

The copulation season usually starts from spring and lasts till either summer or fall. Males and females form monogamous pairs and after 4-6 weeks females lay white to grayish 1-4 eggs sizing around 2 inches. They are incubated for 28-32 days by females.

Life-cycle

Hatchlings are born blind and usually covered in down. They start moving and flying out of the nest after 4-5 weeks although they stay in touch with their parents for another 2-3 months. The young owls reach sexual maturity around the age of 2.

Interesting Facts

• Spotted owls are often confused with barred owls and in some areas, two species are crossed to beget “sparred owls”
• Adult spotted owls not necessarily breed every year, rather they take a break that can be as long as 5-6 years
• Roosting owls preen each others
• The oldest reported spotted owl was a female aging 21 years

References

1. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Spotted_Owl/overview
2. http://naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/spotted_owl_712.html
3. https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/spotted-owl
4. http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/bird/spotted_owl