Types of Owls in Florida: A Complete Guide
Florida is home to several types of owls, including the great horned owl, barred owl, eastern screech-owl, barn owl, and the tiny burrowing owl. These fascinating nocturnal birds of prey can be found in Florida’s forests, swamps, suburbs, and open country. This guide covers how many owls live in Florida, the common species, how to tell them apart, where to see them, and how to find owls in the state.
| Owl | Key Features in Florida |
|---|---|
| Great Horned Owl | Large, ear tufts, deep hoots |
| Barred Owl | Common, dark eyes, who-cooks call |
| Eastern Screech-Owl | Small, ear tufts, trilling call |
| Barn Owl | Pale, heart-shaped face |
| Burrowing Owl | Small, long legs, ground-dwelling |
| Short-eared Owl | Winter visitor, open country |
How Many Types of Owls Live in Florida?
Florida hosts several species of owls, most as year-round residents, ranging from large, powerful hunters to tiny ground-dwellers. The most familiar are the great horned owl, a large owl with prominent ear tufts, and the barred owl, an abundant owl of swamps and forests known for its distinctive call. The small eastern screech-owl is common in wooded neighborhoods, the pale barn owl haunts open country and structures, and the unusual burrowing owl, famous for living in burrows in the ground, is a special Florida bird found in open areas. The short-eared owl appears mainly as a winter visitor in open habitats. Owls are birds of prey, mostly active at night, with excellent hearing and vision, silent flight, and sharp talons for catching prey. Florida’s varied habitats, from swamps and forests to prairies and suburbs, support this diversity of owls. Understanding the owls of Florida begins with these species, part of the wider group covered in our guide to types of owls.
Common Owls in Florida
Several owls are especially notable in Florida. The great horned owl is a large, powerful owl with prominent ear tufts, yellow eyes, and deep hooting calls, capable of taking sizable prey and found in many habitats. The barred owl is perhaps the most commonly encountered owl in Florida, a round-headed, dark-eyed owl of swamps, wet forests, and even suburbs, famous for its rhythmic call often described as sounding like “who cooks for you.” The eastern screech-owl is a small owl with ear tufts, occurring in gray and reddish color forms, that lives in wooded areas and neighborhoods and gives a trilling or whinnying call. The barn owl is a pale, ghostly owl with a distinctive heart-shaped face, often nesting in barns, buildings, and nest boxes. The burrowing owl is a small, long-legged owl that nests in burrows in open ground and is active by day as well as night, a beloved Florida specialty. Each owl has its own look and voice, as explored in our guide to owl symbolism.
How to Tell Florida Owls Apart
Telling Florida’s owls apart is easier when you use size, head shape, eye color, and voice. Start with size, since the great horned owl is large, the barred and barn owls are medium-sized, and the screech-owl and burrowing owl are small. Look for ear tufts, which the great horned owl and screech-owl have but the barred, barn, and burrowing owls lack. Note eye color, since the barred owl has dark brown eyes while most other Florida owls have yellow eyes. The barn owl’s heart-shaped white face is unmistakable, and the burrowing owl’s long legs and ground-dwelling habit set it apart. Voice is very helpful, from the great horned owl’s deep hoots to the barred owl’s “who cooks for you” and the screech-owl’s trill. Habitat and behavior help too, since the burrowing owl is in open ground and often active by day. By combining size, ear tufts, eye color, face shape, and voice, you can identify Florida’s owls, as explored in our guide to types of hawks.
Where to See Owls in Florida
Owls can be found throughout Florida in a range of habitats, depending on the species. The barred owl is common in swamps, wet woodlands, hardwood forests, and wooded suburbs, and it is often heard calling in these areas. The great horned owl occurs in forests, wooded edges, and open areas across the state, and the eastern screech-owl lives in wooded neighborhoods, parks, and forests, readily using nest boxes. The barn owl favors open country, farmland, and marshes, often nesting in structures, while the burrowing owl is found in open, treeless areas such as prairies, pastures, airports, golf courses, and vacant lots, especially in central and southern Florida, where it is a local favorite. State parks, wildlife management areas, and natural preserves offer excellent owl habitat. Because owls are mostly nocturnal, patience and listening at dusk and night are key, though burrowing owls can be seen by day. Florida’s rich habitats make it a wonderful place for owls, as detailed in our guide to attracting birds.
How to Find Owls in Florida
Finding owls in Florida is rewarding with the right approach, since most are active at night. Listening is one of the best strategies, since owls are often heard before they are seen, so going out at dusk and after dark to listen for their calls, such as the barred owl’s “who cooks for you,” the great horned owl’s deep hoots, and the screech-owl’s trill, can reveal their presence. Owls often call more in the breeding season, which for many begins in the cooler months. Looking for owls at dusk and dawn, when some are active, and scanning likely perches such as tree branches, snags, and posts can produce sightings. During the day, you can sometimes find roosting owls by watching for mobbing songbirds that gather to scold a hidden owl, or by checking known roost sites. Burrowing owls are the exception, being active by day and visible near their burrows in open areas. Respecting owls by keeping your distance and avoiding disturbance is important. With patient listening and looking, you can enjoy Florida’s owls, as reflected in our guide to bird symbolism.
The Barred Owl, Florida’s Most Vocal Owl
The barred owl deserves special attention as the owl most often heard in Florida. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the barred owl is known for its distinctive call, often described as sounding like “who cooks for you,” and it favors mature forests and wooded swamps. In Florida, the barred owl is common in the state’s abundant swamps, wet hardwood forests, and even wooded suburbs, where its rhythmic hooting rings out, often well before dark and sometimes during the day. This medium-sized, round-headed owl has dark brown eyes, unlike the yellow eyes of most other Florida owls, and soft brown-and-white barred and streaked plumage. Barred owls hunt a variety of prey, from small mammals to frogs and crayfish, well suited to Florida’s wetlands. Because it is both common and highly vocal, the barred owl is the owl most people in Florida come to know, making it an excellent introduction to the state’s owls, as explored in our guide to owl symbolism.
The Ecological Role of Florida’s Owls
Florida’s owls play a valuable role in the environment, and appreciating it adds to their appeal. As nocturnal predators, owls help control populations of rodents, insects, and other small animals, providing natural pest control that benefits both wild habitats and areas near people. The burrowing owl, for example, feeds heavily on insects and small creatures in the open areas it inhabits, while larger owls like the great horned owl take a wide range of prey. Owls occupy an important place in the food web, and their presence is a sign of a functioning ecosystem with enough prey to support these predators. Because some owls, like the burrowing owl, depend on specific habitats that can be lost to development, protecting their homes matters for keeping owls part of Florida’s landscape. Valuing owls for their ecological role deepens the enjoyment of encountering these fascinating birds.
Related reading: backyard birds of Florida.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common owl in Florida?
The barred owl is one of the most commonly encountered owls in Florida, found in swamps, wet forests, and wooded suburbs, and known for its “who cooks for you” call.
How many types of owls are in Florida?
Florida hosts several owl species, including the great horned owl, barred owl, eastern screech-owl, barn owl, and burrowing owl, plus the wintering short-eared owl.
What owl lives in the ground in Florida?
The burrowing owl is a small, long-legged owl that nests in burrows in open ground in Florida. It is active by day and night and is a beloved Florida specialty.
What is the largest owl in Florida?
The great horned owl is the largest owl in Florida, a powerful bird with prominent ear tufts, yellow eyes, and deep hooting calls, found in many habitats.
How do you tell Florida owls apart?
Use size, ear tufts, eye color, and voice. The barred owl has dark eyes and no ear tufts, the great horned owl has ear tufts, and the barn owl has a heart-shaped face.
How do you find owls in Florida?
Listen at dusk and night for their calls, watch likely perches at dawn and dusk, and look for songbirds mobbing a hidden owl by day. Burrowing owls are active by day.
Where can you see owls in Florida?
Owls live in swamps, forests, wooded suburbs, and open country across Florida. Burrowing owls favor open areas like prairies, pastures, airports, and golf courses.
