The barred owl (Strix varia), also known as the northern barred owl, striped owl or, more informally, hoot owl or eight-hooter owl, is a North American large species of owl.

Barred Owls are mottled brown and white overall, with dark brown, almost black, eyes. The underparts are mostly marked with vertical brown bars on a white background, while the upper breast is crossed with horizontal brown bars. The wings and tail are barred brown and white.

The Barred Owl’s hooting call, “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?” is a classic sound of old forests and treed swamps. But this attractive owl, with soulful brown eyes and brown-and-white-striped plumage, can also pass completely unnoticed as it flies noiselessly through the dense canopy or snoozes on a tree limb.

The rich baritone hooting of the Barred Owl is a characteristic sound in southern swamps, where members of a pair often will call back and forth to each other. Although the bird is mostly active at...

Who cooks for you-all?” is a classic sound of old forests and treed swamps. But this attractive owl, with soulful brown eyes and brown-and-white-striped plumage, can also pass completely unnoticed as it flies noiselessly through the dense canopy or snoozes on a tree limb.

Dark-eyed, with a scaled breast and striped belly, the Barred Owl is nearly as large as the Great Horned Owl but with different markings and no ear-tufts. The Great Horned Owl is much more aggressive, and will prey upon other owls if the opportunity arises.

Listen for its instantly recognizable “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all” call. Favors large, mature forests with deciduous and coniferous trees, often near water. Hunts small animals at night; however, is more active during the day than other …

The Barred owl is the only true owl in the eastern United States which has brown eyes; all others have yellow eyes. Barred owls can be surprisingly tame and seemingly curious of people in the wild; further, they are considered “as mild and engaging” as a predator can be.

The barred owl is a true owl found in eastern North America. They are often referred to as the northern barred owl or the striped owl but sometimes are called the “hoot owl” in an informal manner.

The Barred Owl is a large, stocky owl with a rounded head and no ear tufts. Its plumage is a mottled brown and white, with distinctive horizontal barring on the chest and vertical streaks on the belly. The facial disc is pale with dark concentric rings around large, dark eyes, and it has a short, hooked yellow bill.