Owls, with their keen senses and silent flight, are nocturnal raptors. Texas, with its vast and varied landscapes, provides a home for numerous owl species. Its diverse environments, from dense forests to expansive grasslands and arid deserts, create suitable habitats for these birds.
Owls of Texas Woodlands
Texas’s woodlands and forested areas, including pine forests, deciduous groves, and riparian corridors, support several owl species. The Great Horned Owl, a large, adaptable raptor, is found across all regions of Texas, inhabiting deciduous and evergreen forests, swamps, and urban parks. Measuring 18 to 25 inches with a wingspan of 3 to 5 feet, they have prominent ear tufts and mottled gray-brown plumage. Their deep hoots, a series of three to eight notes, resonate through the night. Great Horned Owls are nocturnal hunters, preying on small mammals, other birds, and even skunks, due to their weak sense of smell.
The Barred Owl is another common woodland resident, recognizable by its round head, dark eyes, and absence of ear tufts. These stocky owls, typically 17 to 24 inches long, are named for the horizontal barring on their chest and vertical streaking on their belly. Barred Owls are frequently heard calling “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?” in mature forests near water. They primarily feed on small mammals, amphibians, and insects, often nesting in tree cavities or abandoned nests.
The Long-eared Owl, though secretive, inhabits open woodlands and forest edges in Texas. Named for its long feather tufts, this medium-sized owl has excellent camouflage, making it difficult to spot. Long-eared Owls hunt small mammals like voles and mice, and they roost in dense foliage or old crow and hawk nests. They are generally quiet but may hoot during courtship.
Owls of Texas Open Country
Open landscapes across Texas, including grasslands, prairies, and agricultural fields, are home to owls adapted to these environments. The Burrowing Owl, a small, long-legged owl, nests in burrows, often excavated by prairie dogs. These owls, typically 7 to 11 inches tall, have sandy-brown plumage with white spots and a round head without ear tufts. Unlike many other owls, Burrowing Owls are active during the day, hunting insects and small mammals, with most hunting at dawn and dusk. Their calls include a two-syllable “who-who” and a warning call mimicking a rattlesnake’s rattle.
Barn Owls are commonly found in Texas’s open country, including grasslands, marshes, and agricultural areas. These medium-sized owls are identified by their distinctive heart-shaped facial disk, pale undersides, and golden-tawny upperparts. Barn Owls are nocturnal hunters, preying on rodents and small mammals; they rarely hoot, instead emitting a raspy scream. They often nest in barns, tree cavities, or abandoned buildings, showing adaptability to human-altered landscapes.
The Short-eared Owl is a migratory species visiting Texas in winter, favoring meadows, grasslands, and large forest clearings. This medium-sized owl has mottled tawny-brown plumage, a pale face with dark patches around its yellow eyes, and subtle ear tufts. Short-eared Owls are unique for their diurnal hunting, often seen flying low over fields with buoyant wingbeats, especially at sunrise and sunset. They nest on the ground among low shrubs and grasses, and their calls are quiet, consisting of barks, hisses, and squeals.
Small and Unique Texas Owls
Texas also harbors several smaller owl species with specialized habitat needs. The Eastern Screech-Owl, a common resident throughout much of the state, is a small owl, 8 to 10 inches long, with prominent ear tufts and bright yellow eyes. These owls exhibit two color variations, gray and reddish, helping them camouflage against tree bark. Despite their name, they do not screech but produce a trilling whinny or a descending tremolo call. Eastern Screech-Owls inhabit woodlands, suburban areas, and parks, nesting in tree cavities or nest boxes, and are strictly nocturnal, hunting insects, small mammals, and fish.
The Western Screech-Owl, a close relative, occupies western Texas, primarily the Trans-Pecos region and western Edwards Plateau. Similar to the Eastern Screech-Owl, it measures 7 to 10 inches tall and typically has gray-brown plumage with small ear tufts. Western Screech-Owls prefer riparian areas, wooded canyons, and desert mesquites. Their call, an accelerating “bouncing ball” series of whistles, distinguishes them from Eastern Screech-Owls. These owls are nocturnal, perching on low branches to ambush small mammals, insects, and occasional birds.
The Elf Owl, the smallest owl in North America, is found in western and southern Texas during summer. Measuring only 5 to 6 inches tall, no larger than a sparrow, these tiny owls have reddish-brown plumage, yellow-pink bellies, and a V-shaped stripe above their eyes, lacking ear tufts. Elf Owls feed almost exclusively on insects and other invertebrates, hunting them in thorn forests, riparian woodlands, and desert areas with cacti. Their calls are surprisingly loud for their size, consisting of yapping and chuckling notes. Being migratory, they spend winters in Mexico.