Description:
It is the only typical owl of the eastern United States which has brown eyes; all others have yellow eyes. The head is round and lacks ear tufts, a distinction from the Short-eared Owl. The upper parts are mottled gray-brown. The underparts are light with markings; the chest is barred horizontally while the belly is streaked lengthwise. The legs and feet are covered in feathers up to the talons

Worldwide Distribution:
Canada, the eastern United States and south to Central America; in recent years it has spread to the western United States

Habitat:
Breeding habitat is dense woods. Recent studies show suburban neighbourhoods can also be ideal habitat.

Diet:
Barred owl is a generalist predator. The principal prey of this owl are meadow voles, followed by mice and shrews of various species; other mammals preyed upon include rats, squirrels, rabbits, bats and moles.

Breeding
In the United States, eggs are laid from early-January in southern Florida to mid-April in northern Maine, and consist of 2 to 4 eggs per clutch.

Call
The usual call is a series of eight accented hoots ending in oo-aw, with a downward pitch at the end.