Who here can ID an owl by its hoot? Need help, ornithologists...

[MinnFats]

He/she is back.
There is an occasional visitor to the stand of trees behind my home that perches in the upper reaches of some pine trees and hoots about every 45 to 90 seconds -- with random longer pauses -- half the night away. If I walk out there to get a good look at him/her, the owl either clams up or silently flies away. I think the owl does not live here but stops by hunting bunny rabbits. Lord knows there are plenty around here...witness the state of my garden.
I think of him/her as my buddy. I would like to get acquainted. First, I'd like an identification.


The bird's hoot is almost ALWAYS the same... four notes at precisely the same pitch -- the only difference is the lenght and accent on the second note. It's like this:

"hooo-HOOO-hoo-hoo.'

the last note is shorter than the previous three and sometimes almost inaudible.

Given the owl species around here, I think it's one of these: A Great Gray; a Great Horned or a Barred owl.


can anyone help?

[TexasProgresive]

1. Whoooo!

We once had a battle of the bands between a great horned owl and a a barred owl. I can't remember their calls now but my bird book describes the barred owl call as " who-cooks-for-you" "who-cooks-for-you-all". The book didn't give the great's call. Sorry to be of little help. But owls are amazing creatures.

[RamblingRose]

2. Barred Owls sound like monkeys hollering. n/t

[comsymp]

3. And while we're on the subject

We have one around here which makes a different sound- more like

Hoo, Hoo, Hoo, Hoo-hoooo

Am told by neighbors who've seen it that it's quite large but that's all we know about it...

[Wcross]

4. Great horned owl

Sounds like to me at least. The GHO typically hoots 4-7 times- the barred owl typically hoots 8 times. The great horned owl is a big bird and very common. What area are you located in? There are other types of owls that may match depending on your locale. (no specifics-region or state is fine)

Great Grey owls range is in Western Canada and the northern rockies and hoots in a series of ever lower tones.

[amazona]

5. I'll vote for Great Horned Owl

...but I don't have perfect confidence in my vote. GHOWs usually call more than 4 times.

The Barred Owl call is the most common, default owl around here and its call is easily recognized, an eight noter with a rhythm that goes like, "Who COOKS for you, who COOKS for you'all?"

It is possible that you have a Barred Owl and put the eight noted call down as two different four noted calls. However, the last note of the Barred Owl is usually long and drawn-out, rather than clipped, although I have heard it clipped on occasion.

If you have a pair of Barred Owls, they may duet and call back and forth by the hour.


To see the Owl, try this. Wear a hat, preferably a hard hat or a baseball helmet. (No, I'm not kidding, I almost had my head removed one time.) Then play a recording of the Owl's voice several times and wait. Play again and wait. Don't be impatient. Within a half hour or so (sometimes much less) the Owl will swoop down to check you out. Cautiou: Great Horned Owls are extremely large and dangerous birds, and Barred Owls are no walk in the park either -- I am serious about the hat/helmet. The Barred Owl may respond and attack even in daylight but you will likely need to do this after dark to get a rise out of the Great Horned Owl.

I have no experience with Great Grays.

[amazona]

6. library of owl sounds

By the way, here is a link to an audio Owl library -- heavy emphasis on the Barred Owls. Maybe you will hear your Owl song here and be able to ID it from that:

http://www.owlcam.com/soundlib/sound_lib.htm