How to find Owls

How do you find an owl?

This is probably the hardest thing to do but it's an easy question to answer. You have to look for them and stay focused. Finding an owl is hard work. It requires you to spend a lot of time in the field. Most of the time you will not find an owl. Don't get discouraged. Consider it a game of hide and seek. When you are searching for owls remember to stay focused on your quarry. It's very easy to get distracted. If you let yourself get distracted the game is over. The owl has won again. You might walk right past an owl and never know it is there. I found seven Long-eared Owls less then 10 feet off the trail in a popular park. I watched several people walk their dog right past these owls and never notice them.

One of the best ways to find an owl is to hunt for them in the winter months. Northern Owls like Snowy Owls, Northern Hawk-owls and Great Gray Owls are easily spotted hunting early in the day or late in the evening in open areas, telephone poles or on the edge of a tree line. Another way to find owls in the winter is to search evergreen trees. Owls look for a safe roost during the day and many times an evergreen tree is where the end up. Barren trees make for a poor hiding spot so focus on evergreen trees first. Evergreen trees are a popular favorite for Long-eared Owls. Saw-whet Owls enjoy small cedars and tangles. Look for these pint-size favorites near eye-level.

Search for owls in the woods on a cloudy day. The light is not as harsh and it is much easier to spot the outline of an owl against the gray sky. On bright sunny days the owls disappear in the harsh shadows. This is not true for Screech Owls. The best time to look for them is a sunny winter morning. After a cold night the Screech Owls like to sit on the edge of their roost hole in the warm sunshine.

Search for owls early in the morning. It helps to start your search before other people start walking the trails. Many times the first person down the trail will flush an owl in front of them. The owl will then find a more secluded location to spend the day and the game of hide and seek just got harder. Remember to stay focused! The branch snapping to your left or that shadow moving through the trees might be from a fleeing owl.

One of the best books I have read on searching for owls is How to Spot an Owl by Patricia & Clay Sutton. If you are serious about finding owls this is a great place to start. I have successfully used many of the techniques listed in this book to find owls. This book is still available at Amazon.com as a used book but it is priceless tool.

If you are reading this page it's obvious you have a love and respect for owls. When looking for owls there are some basic rules that need to be followed for the welfare of the birds. Yes, these rules are for you too not just everyone else. By following these simple rules you will find both you and the owl will benefit. It's very important not to disturb an owl from its roost. He has chosen his roost for a reason, safety. If you flush the owl from his hiding spot he may not return. This would be a pity for the owl's welfare and your enjoyment. If you find an owl and it is watching you, it is starting to feel threatened. Owls will look relaxed when you are a safe distance. Don't think the owl is not aware of your presence because its eyes are closed remember their hearing abilities.

Below is a list of proper owl etiquette.
1. Never use tapes to lure an owl during breeding season.
2. Never use tapes where they are considered illegal such as National Parks.
3. Never use tapes with threatened or endangered species.
4. Move slowly and quietly. If the owl acts alarmed, move away slowly or crouch down until it relaxes.
5. If you find a nest or roost site visit in infrequently and keep it a secret.
6. Respect private property.
7. Never disturb a sleeping owl on purpose. Harassing an owl to take a better photo is poor etiquette and stressful on the birds. Don't be the person to chase the owl away.

Remember owls come in all sizes. Don't expect a Saw-whet Owl to be as easy to spot as a Great-horned Owl. Learn the size of the owl you expect to find. It might surprise you how small many owls are.

Sometimes you can get help finding an owl from other birds. Crows, Jays and Chickadees like to mob owls in their day roosting spot. Listen for these birds calling over and over and go see why they are making such a fuss. Many times it's nothing but sometimes it's a sleeping owl.

Focus on one species of owl at a time. Know what you are trying to find and where it might hide. In order to do this you need to do is learn what habitat each owl prefers. There is no reason to search for an owl in a habitat that they don't live in. Also get to know the owl voices. Many times that is the best clue where to find owls. If you hear them at night you can find them in the day.

Many people don't realize that there are many owls living around them. Screech Owls do not require a large wooded area. Many times they can be found in local woodlot and wooded parks. Good luck.

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