Minnesota is rich with diverse natural environments, including dense forests, expansive prairies, and northern bogs, which support a dozen different owl species throughout the year. These silent hunters serve an important role in the state’s ecosystem, controlling small mammal populations across various landscapes. Their presence ranges from permanent residents found year-round to irregular winter visitors traveling south from the Arctic.
Minnesota’s Permanent Resident Owls
The most consistently present owls in Minnesota are the year-round residents, which breed and remain within the state. The Great Horned Owl is one of the largest and most widespread species, easily recognized by its prominent ear tufts and deep, rhythmic hoot. This adaptable predator thrives in nearly every habitat type, from dense woodlands to urban areas. Its large size, typically 18 to 25 inches in length, allows it to prey on a wide variety of animals, including other raptors and skunks.
The Barred Owl is another widespread resident, found predominantly in mature hardwood forests and forested swamps. Unlike the Great Horned Owl, the Barred Owl has a round head, lacks ear tufts, and possesses distinctively dark brown eyes. Its well-known vocalization is a series of eight to nine hoots often translated as, “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?” This medium-sized bird, averaging 17 to 20 inches, hunts small mammals, birds, and aquatic prey like crayfish.
The diminutive Eastern Screech Owl is a resident of southern and central Minnesota, often found in wooded areas and suburban backyards. This small owl, only about 6 to 10 inches tall, occurs in two distinct color morphs: a reddish-brown phase and a gray phase, both providing excellent camouflage. Despite its name, its call is not a screech but rather a descending, mournful whinny or a monotonic trill. It typically nests in natural tree cavities or old woodpecker holes.
Seasonal and Irruptive Owl Visitors
Minnesota’s northern latitude attracts owls that migrate or undertake irregular movements from their northern breeding grounds. Seasonal visitors, like the Short-eared Owl, move through the state during migration. Other species are classified as irruptive, meaning they move south in greater numbers than usual, often following a successful breeding season resulting from an abundance of prey like voles and lemmings. These movements are irregular and vary in magnitude annually.
The Snowy Owl is the most sought-after irruptive visitor, traveling from the Arctic tundra to winter in Minnesota’s open landscapes from November through March. This large, mostly white owl often hunts during the day, a necessity inherited from its summer home. Males are nearly pure white, while females and juveniles exhibit dark barring. They prefer wide, treeless areas such as prairies, agricultural fields, and airport runways that mimic their breeding habitat.
The Great Gray Owl and the Northern Hawk Owl are other irruptive visitors descending from the boreal forests of Canada and northern Minnesota. The Great Gray Owl is North America’s tallest owl, often measuring two to three feet in height. It relies on exceptional hearing to locate voles beneath deep snow and is frequently observed in the conifer bogs of the northeastern state. The Northern Hawk Owl also hunts during the day and is recognizable by its long tail and hawk-like profile when perched.
Size and Sound: Key Identification Features
Identifying Minnesota’s diverse owl species requires focusing on distinct physical and vocal characteristics. The presence or absence of ear tufts, which are feathers and not actual ears, is a primary visual cue. The Great Horned Owl and the Eastern Screech Owl exhibit these tufts, while the Barred Owl, Snowy Owl, and Great Gray Owl have a round-headed appearance. Eye color also serves as a differentiator; the Barred Owl is the only common resident with dark, almost black eyes, while most other species, including the Great Horned and Snowy Owls, have yellow eyes.
Size comparison is another key identification element. The Great Gray Owl is the largest in overall length, though the Great Horned Owl is heavier and bulkier. Conversely, the Eastern Screech Owl and the Northern Saw-whet Owl are notably small, closer in size to a robin. Vocalizations provide the most common method for confirming identity after dark. The deep, four to five-note hoot of the Great Horned Owl contrasts sharply with the Barred Owl’s loud, rhythmic call, and the Eastern Screech Owl’s descending whinny is distinct from the low, tremulous trill of the tiny Northern Saw-whet Owl.
Where to Find Minnesota’s Owls
The distribution of owls across Minnesota is tied to the state’s varied geography. The vast northern reaches, characterized by boreal forests, conifer bogs, and the Arrowhead Region, are the most reliable locations for finding northern species. This area is the primary wintering ground for irruptive species like the Great Gray Owl and the Northern Hawk Owl, which prefer to hunt in open clearings and forest edges. The Sax-Zim Bog, northwest of Duluth, is known as a prime location to observe these winter visitors.
Southern and central Minnesota, dominated by deciduous woodlands, agricultural land, and urban centers, are the strongholds for year-round resident owls. Great Horned Owls and Eastern Screech Owls are highly adaptable and frequently inhabit suburban and city parks, often nesting in mature trees or utilizing artificial nest boxes. Barred Owls are most often encountered in the river bottoms and mature hardwood forests of the southeast, where the landscape has established, dense tree cover. The open agricultural fields and prairie remnants of western Minnesota are the best locations to search for Short-eared Owls, particularly during their spring and fall migratory periods.