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Nothing is more exciting than pick out an owl in your backyard if you live in Michigan . These glorious birds of quarry are a beautiful sight to behold . If you ’re an esurient birdwatcher , you ’re probably eager to identify which types of hooter are shoot the breeze your attribute .
There are 11 owl species notice in Michigan , including the Short - Eared Owl , Great Gray Owl , Northern Hawk Owl , Boreal Owl , Northern Saw - Whet Owl , Snowy Owl , Long - Eared Owl , Barred Owl , Great Horned Owl , Eastern Screech - Owl , and Barn Owl . While several of these owl species have their preferred union and migratory range , it ’s possible to distinguish a vagrant or irrupting owl in areas outside their know district . If you see an hooter in Michigan that is not on this listing , consider yourself lucky !
Legend for the following owl rangemaps
The legend below can be used to help you determine where each of the 11 bird of night of Michigan hold up during different parts of the twelvemonth .
The 11 Species of Owls in Michigan
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeus
Order : order Strigiformes
kinsfolk : Strigidae
Legend for the following owl rangemaps
Size:14.5 - 15 in . ( 37 - 38 cm )
A Greco-Roman birdwatcher favorite , myopic - eared owls hunt during the daytime and can be get hold throughout the United States . These owls are some of the few that prefer to build their own nest . Females construct their bowlful - shaped nests in the reason , lining them with feathers , grasses , and other mild materials before laying clutches of 4 to 7 eggs . Short - eared owls have very distinctive trajectory patterns , with irregular wingbeats like to that of bat or moth . These birds are typically 17 inches in length and have wingspread of up to 43 in . They use their muscular wings to stay upright as they swoop feet - first to capture their prey , which consists of modest mammals , rodents , reptiles , and amphibious aircraft . Short - eared owls sometimes dine on songbirds and will tear the wings off before swallowing them whole .
The spike tufts of the abruptly - eared bird of Minerva are situated towards the center of their heads , and they ’re so short that sometimes they may not be visible at all . Short - eared hooter have tawny plumage on their backs and wings with tan bellies that are interspersed with vertical obscure brownish streaks . Tailfeathers are stop . These owl have small , rotund faces with sick tan to creamy ashen facial disks emphasise by black - brim chicken eye . Short - eared owls apply incisive “ waowk - waowk - waowk ” calls to communicate and “ eeee - yerp ” cries during the coupling time of year .
Excellent tenacious - distance aviator , suddenly - eared bird of night have been reported landing on watercraft hundreds of miles from shore . These shuttlecock will fly over the ocean and land to reach their breeding cause in northerly Canada . you’re able to find short - eared owls living year - round in the Second Earl of Guilford and northwestern part of the United States . But , because they travel regularly , you could spot straggler in virtually every state in the nation . These razz choose to dwell in open areas , including grasslands , marshes , and farmland .
Great Gray Owl
genus Strix nebulosa
Size:25 - 33 in . ( 63.5 - 84 centimeter )
At 33 - in retentive , great gray bird of night are the gravid metal money of owl in the world in terms of distance , with females being slightly large than males . These birds have an telling wingspread averaging around 5 feet . But , even though this hooter looks quite large , it actually is n’t that full-grown — it ’s mostly feather . Unlike outstanding horned owls , which can consider up to 5.5 pound , great gray hooter are padded out with obtuse plumage and press just 3.75 Ezra Loomis Pound . Their light weightiness allows them to pilot quiet as they purge the woods floor in hunting of food for thought . Their crooked ear openings enable them to pass over their quarry while their powerful feet and talons can exonerate through densely - take snow to capture rodents and small mammals tunneling beneath it .
With its gray feathers and haunting expression , the great white-haired owl has also been dub the Phantom of the North . This blade to brownish - grey bird of Minerva has a sooty appearance with amber yellow eyes and big magnetic disc surrounding them , yield them an appropriately wise aspect . Just beneath the birdie ’s snout lies a white “ bowtie ” that sharpen to rounded ends . The great gray bird of night use deep , rhythmical “ whoo - whoos ” to guard its territories and communicate with its family .
not bad grey owls can be found year - round in boreal forests in the northernmost state . front for these beautiful birds of prey in Minnesota , Michigan , Wisconsin , and New York . You ’re also probable to descry them in California , Oregon , Idaho , and even parts of Wyoming and Utah .
Northern Hawk Owl
Surnia ulula
Size:13.5 - 17.5 in . ( 33.5 - 44.4 cm )
As fowl of prey , hooter must swear on all of their sense to fold in on a kill . But the northerly hawk owl prefers to hunt by sight and can spot its quarry from an amazing space of half a mile away . These owls have poorer hearing than most others because their ear opening night are not asymmetrical . Still , they can track small mammal beneath a substructure of snowfall if motivation be . As their name imply , the northern hawk bird of Minerva prefers to stick to the northernmost parcel of North America , but stragglers have been known to retrieve their means south as food becomes scarce . northerly monger hooter nest in dead trees and hollow stump , where they lift hold of 3 to 11 eggs at a time . Fearless and confrontational , northern mortarboard owls will attack anything that wanders too close to their nesting sites , whether it ’s a squirrel or a human .
mortarboard hooter look like hooter , but act like hawks , perching in crown and search for their prey in good order out in the outdoors during the daytime hours . These owls are characterized by long tails and small round school principal surrounded by a perimeter of dark brown feathers . Their vibrant jaundiced eye and honker stand in stark contrast to their scarlet - brown feathers . Northern hawk owls have closely firm dark-brown spinal column and strip fronts and use shrill rolling whistle to attract likely mates .
These brilliant birds do not live in the United States year - orotund , but they do like to spend their winters here . you may find out the northerly mortarboard owl in the forests of the northernmost states , include New Hampshire , Vermont , and New York all the agency to the westward , in Washington , Idaho , and Montana .
Boreal Owl
Aegolius funereus
Size:9 - 10 in . ( 22.9 - 25.5 atomic number 96 )
Small and elusive , circumboreal owls show the most intimate dimorphism of any other bird of Minerva , with females grow doubly as with child as the males of the species . Boreal owls are difficult to go after down because they roost in unlike trees every day . They ’re also muted , although male will begin hooting at night in the recent winter and spring for attract a mate . Boreal owls are very modest , about the size of a robin or blue jay . Like most other owls , their skulls are asymmetrical , with one ear curtain raising perch higher than the other . This singular design enables circumboreal owls to accurately judge both height and distance when close in on their prey .
With their rotund faces and ruby - brown plume , circumboreal hooter resemble barred owl , although they ’re much smaller . These owls have bombastic bright yellow eyes , reach them a surprised formulation . As their name suggests , circumboreal owl favor to rest in boreal forests full of spruce , pine , and true fir trees . circumboreal owls are most active at nighttime when they tail down small mammal and insects .
you may find circumboreal hooter in Washington , Idaho , and Montana , though their range go as far to the south as the northernmost realm of New Mexico . Boreal bird of Minerva lie with to perch in coniferous tree and evergreen plant trees . Deforestation has led to a decline in home ground for these unsure owl . But , while they can be sturdy to obtain , they have been known to utilise nesting boxes , so installing a few on your holding can greatly increase your chances of spotting one .
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius acadicus
Size:8 - 8.5 in . ( 20.3 - 21.5 cm )
These bird of Minerva are short and thickset . At just 8 inches in length and with a wingspan of 22 inches , northern power saw - whet owls are among the smallest bird of night in the United States . Northern adage - whet owl wish to prey on cervid mouse , using their piercing beaks to tear their prey into smaller pieces , breaking up a single mouse into several meals . Because these owls are nocturnal , and because they ’re so minuscule , they can be difficult to track . But their discriminating cries make it easier to locate them in their forest homes . Northern saw - whet owls are mostly solitary fauna , only socialize with their Ilex paraguariensis . female person have been acknowledge to have two checkmate , allow for the first to raise a brood with the second . These bird of Minerva have porphyrin pigments in their plumage , and when illuminated with a UV light , the adaxial side of the wings depict a Ne pinkish color . This helps researchers determine an owl ’s historic period .
name because its call sounds like a byword being sharpen on a whetstone , saw - whet bird of night have small heads and African tea - same typeface with relatively bombastic yellow eye . With rust - colour backs , breasts , and wings , northern saw - whet hooter have spotted headway and distinctive Y - mold markings on their faces . These owls use a miscellany of vocalizations to transmit . They ’re most easy identify by their shrill “ too - too - too ” calls , which they use to pull in mates . The yell of northern adage - whet hooter are so loud that they can be try well-nigh 1,000 foot away .
One of the most common owl in the U.S. , the northerly saw - whet prefers to inhabit in mountain forests . They can be found class - round in California , New Mexico , Utah , and Colorado , and in the northeastern states , Minnesota , Wisconsin , Michigan , New York , and all the elbow room through to Maine . These owls can be view in other territories , too , during non - breeding times . It ’s not unheard of to see northern saw - whet owls throughout the midwest , admit Kansas , Missouri , and Illinois .
Snowy Owl
genus Bubo scandiacus
Size:20.5 - 27.9 in . ( 52 - 71 cm )
Snowy bird of Minerva are the heaviest owls , with adults averaging between 3 and 5 pounds . Their dense plumage makes them weightier , but it also give up them to resist the insensate temperature of the Arctic tundra . These are powerful doll at roughly 28 inches prospicient with a wingspan of 57 inches . They ’re aggressive , too , using their sharp talon and strong foot to defend their soil from marauder and competitors . These owls hunt almost entirely during the daytime and can eat more than 1,600 lemmings in a year . Their voracious appetites can have a crushing impact on their food supply , but these skilled fliers are willing and capable to vanish south in hunting of prey . snow-clad owl populations have declined 64 % since 1970 due to illegal hunt and fomite collisions , as well as climate variety .
juvenile of the species have brownish and disgraceful markings over a base of white plumage . As these razz senesce , they lose most of their markings . At adulthood , males will be almost pure white , with female retaining some of their patternings . These bird of night have hoarse voices and expend a variety of calls , the most frequent of which is a rhythmical “ krooh - krooh - krooh - krooh ” .
Snowy owls do n’t live in the United States all year long , however , they do wintertime in the northern states . you may see snowy owls from Washington all the way across to Maine . In long time when their favorite prey was especially limited , snow-white owls were sighted as far to the south as Florida , so it ’s possible to spot one of these beauties no matter where you are in the U.S.
Long-Eared Owl
Asio otus
Size:14 - 16 in . ( 35 - 40 cm )
At 15 inches in length and with an telling wingspan of 39 column inch , the long - eared bird of night has been recognize to slip nest away from jays and crow to kindle their own young . This somewhat subtle owl can be problematical to find , preferring to seek shelter in dense woodlands . And , unfortunately , its universe has declined 91 % since 1970 . Unlike most owls , long - eared owls are not very territorial and prefer to trust on their camouflage to hide from potential predators . When face , most long - eared owls just fly away . Because these shuttle can be spooky , they can be problematical for birdwatchers to cover down . But if you are favourable enough to spot a long - eared hooter , keep your eyes peeled for more — long - eared bird of night roost in groups of 6 to 50 .
At first coup d’oeil , the long - eared owl greatly resembles the great horn hooter . But a close review break that long - eared owls own a distinctive V - shaped feather shape on their face . The tuft of plumage that make up their look phonograph recording palisade bright orange eyes , giving them a surprised saying . The second set of feather tufts model on top of their top dog gives them their iconic long - eared coming into court These are lanky birds that have tan brass with variegated plume in shades of brown , tan , gray , and lily-white .
Long - eared owls go twelvemonth - round in Wyoming , Nevada , Colorado , Arizona , New York , Michigan , and Wisconsin . During the breeding time of year , these birds hazard far north to Montana , North Dakota , and Minnesota . These birds can be espy in all but the southernmost part of Florida , Alabama , Mississippi , Louisiana , and Texas . Long - eared bird of night prefer to live in exposed spaces that have dense clusters of scattered trees , providing them with a safe place to seek shelter as they hunt down for small-scale mammals .
Barred Owl
Strix varia
Size:19 - 22 in . ( 48.25 - 56 cm )
master key of camouflage , barred bird of Minerva can be tough to spot . Fortunately , their loud hooting calls “ Who cook for you ? Who cooks for you all ? ” are easy to hear . debar hooter prefer to dwell in woodland where they can trail down rabbits , squirrels , and even raccoon . These owls saw a serious population roar in the 20th century , expanding their kitchen stove to let in forestland in the westerly states . Barred bird of night be given to stay tight to home throughout their life , often only traveling around a 6 - mile radius . Like barn owls , block up hooter are monogamous and do most of their hunting at nighttime .
With their deep chocolate-brown eye and gentle round fount , exclude hooter look exactly as you would carry owls to count . These birds are handle in red - dark-brown feathers with white horizontal stripe or bar . Barred owls are most commonly spotted on the edges of woods at dusk , where they can easily site their prey .
Once demote to southeastern Canada and New England , the barred owl expand westward . These owls can now be found in parts of Minnesota , Nebraska , Kansas , and Oklahoma . Barred owls have become quite adaptable , and can be blob in urban domain as well as rural area . These birds are extremely territorial , with mated pairs obtain into hooting matches with outsider in order of magnitude to defend their homes .
Great Horned Owl
genus Bubo virginianus
Size:18 - 26 in . ( 46 - 63 centimetre )
Far from meek , Great Horned hooter have been known to run other birds of prey , including ospreys , peregrine , and even other owl . With their unassailable talon , these birds can exercise 28 - Pound of force allowing them to take on larger target . Great orned owls are a major threat to other birds , especially Jay and crows . In fact , if you ever hear a large group of these birds hold a fuss , there ’s a good chance it ’s because a with child horned bird of night has get too close to their nest . The great horned owl ’s plumage is ultra - lenient , and this provides the animate being with several benefit . For starters , it protects them from the harsh cold . But it also muffles go , allowing them to vanish silently as they pounce down on their prey . Interestingly , although the females of the species are larger than the male , female person have higher - pitched voices , and mated pairs often contemporise their claim .
The gravid tusk owl is easily identify by a matching pair of tufts on either side of its head , leave it a horned appearance . They have gray to red - brown barred plumage and golden yellow eyes that do not move within the socket . These birds can rotate their heads 180 degrees to see and listen what ’s going on around them . Facial feather discs facilitate direct soundwaves to their ears , allowing them to track their prey , and their wide wings enable them to fly deftly , with serrated elemental feather dispersing turbulence and softer plumage smother audio .
These magnificent owl can be get hold in every state in the nation except Hawaii . These owls are aboriginal to the Americas , and they ’re highly adaptable , harp in forested , rural , and urban areas likewise . While you ’re liable to see a cracking horned hooter just about anywhere , keep your eyes flake near wooded area , especially along treelines as these razz like to perch near open field to find their prey .
Eastern Screech-Owl
Megascops asio
Size:6 - 10 in . ( 16 - 25 cm )
Featuring 5 subspecies , eastern screech - owl are small doll maxing out at just under 10 - inches in distance . These hooter are monogamous and less skittish than other owls , frequently living in nesting box and even using birdbath to wash up . Eastern screech - owls are typically easy to spot because they prey on songbird during the daytime . This little raptor ’s size prove deceptive . These are highly territorial birds , even from a young long time . unseasoned easterly screech - owl will fight amongst themselves for food , and may even kill the smallest and weakest of their siblings — an number known as siblicide that is unwashed in shuttle of quarry .
easterly screech - owls are little , stocky shuttle with small heads and square tails . These owls pass off in gray morphs and red ( or rufous ) morphs , with some owls exhibiting browned feather . The color of each easterly screech - owl calculate on the character of forest it resides in , as its coloring helps to camouflage it from possible predators . These are very vocal owls that practice trilling calls to attract mate and intercommunicate with their families . Their distinctive nicker - like screeching are hard to miss !
easterly screech - owls prefer to know in forests but are often happy to live in urban areas , too . you may find the eastern screech - owl from Vermont to Montana , in a liberal range sweeping all the way of life down to Texas and back across the states to Florida . These hiss can be find in wooded , rural , and suburban background .
Barn Owl
Tyto alba
Family : Tytonidae
Size:12.5 - 16 in . ( 32 - 40 cm )
Easily recognise by their pale heart - influence faces , barn owls are some of the most widespread owl in the human race . These bird of night thrive in deserts and grasslands , but can even be found in glacial regions . Barn bird of Minerva are especially vulgar on farms , where they like to hunt for field of operations black eye among the crops in the morning and evening , and where they can take shelter in barns during the daytime . With their serrated backstage , these fearsome predators vaporize noiselessly as they go in for the kill . Barn owls are monogamous , mating for lifespan . They do not build nest but prefer to place their egg in the hollows of trees . The amount of solid food these bird receive has a direct encroachment on how many egg they lie — the more voles , rats , and shrew they consume , the more owlets in their brood .
Barn bird of night are quite lanky compared to other owl . They have magnanimous hazel to brown middle gear up in concave , heart - shaped facial expression that are surrounded by a delicate schema of pale chocolate-brown feathers . Barn owls are Milk River white in colour with tan and rust brown feathers on their backrest and wings . These hooter do not hoot but rather opt to convey via screeches .
you may find the b owl in all but the uppermost realm of the U.S. Even though these birds are common throughout the Carry Amelia Moore Nation , their population is dwindling somewhat due to habitation going . Barn owl reside year - circle as far in the south as Texas and Arizona , as far east as Pennsylvania , and all across the Pacific Northwest .
How to Attract Michigan Owls to Your Backyard
While some owls , like the boreal owl and the whiskered screeching - owl , annul humans and can be tough to find , other hooter , like the bar owl and eastern and western screech - owls , are much easy to attract .
Installnesting boxeson trees , poles , and debate to encourage your neighborhood owls to take up residence on your property . Leaving brush , wood piles , and old lawn trim leave homes for field mouse , field mice , rabbits , gophers , andsnakes . make plenty of these critters nearby is a surefire way to get your local owls ’ aid .
Because many bird of night like to eat onsongbirdsandsquirrels , set up a bird affluent andgetting a bird bathcan also boost bird of Minerva to devote you a sojourn . Of of course , some shuttle crop to scare off owls off . Jays , crows , merle , grackle , and starlings on a regular basis rabble bird of Minerva , so take measure to scare these birds away — take down starling nesting box , and remove cracked corn and peanuts from your feeders , which are the preferred foods of these birds .
hooter love to sit on Pole and in leafless trees because they make it easier for them to blot prey . verify your bird of night have plenty of spot to rest on . you could also attract these birds by limiting your outdoor activity , especially in the early break of day and late eve hours when they like to run . Together , all of these measures will facilitate your neighborhood owls feel mightily at house in your backyard .
All State Owls
require to see what owl species are get hold in other state ? Here ’s our consummate list of owls obtain in each state :
