As the days get longer, songbirds begin to whistle their spring tunes. But it’s not just the daytime birds that herald the change of season. Up to 11 species owls can be seen in New Hampshire. However, only four species breed in the state. Two of those are early nesters and can be heard hooting their courtship calls during late winter nights.
Our largest resident owl is the great-horned owl, known for big yellow eyes and feather tufts on its heads. Its mottled feathers are brown and buff.
The great-horned owl has a deep mellow hoot, often in a series of five or six, “hoo, hoo-hoo-hoo, hoo, hoo.” These loud booming hoots can be heard from more than a mile away. As with all birds of prey, the female is larger than the male but if you hear them together his hoot will be deeper.
Their calls are most frequently heard at dusk and dawn and between dusk and midnight. They can be heard as early as late January because that’s when they begin to nest. Woodlands containing dense stands of white pine and near open areas are good places to listen for this impressive bird.
The barred owl, named for the bars or stripes on its chest, has brown eyes, no tufts and grayish-brown feathers. Though still a good-sized bird at 21 inches tall, it is about 4 inches smaller than the great-horned owl. Being the most common owl in the state, it is likely the one you will encounter. Its call is a distinctive “hoo hoo hoohoo, hoo hoo, hoohoo-aww,” sometimes paraphrased, “Who cooks for you, who cooks for you-all?”
Their mating and territorial calls are often heard at this time of year as they begin to establish their breeding area. You are most likely to hear them in a mixed forest with both large deciduous trees for nesting cavities and conifers for protection. They also like to be near wetlands because they commonly prey on frogs.
These two species offer an explanation of the term hoot-owl. But to assume that owls only hoot is a misconception. Barred owls make other sounds including a monkey-like laugh or cackle. This call is used primarily during territorial disputes.
Another interesting sound is made by our smallest local owl, the saw-whet, measuring about 8 inches tall. They get their name because their call sounds like someone sharpening or whetting a saw. Since most of us don’t sharpen saws these days, a more familiar analogy is the high pitched beeping of a truck backing up. The beeps come in succession at a rate of about two per second.
If you are lucky enough to hear one, good luck finding it. This pint-sized predator is a great ventriloquist and is also very well camouflaged. Rusty streaks on the chest help them blend in with the bark and branches of trees.
New Hampshire’s other resident owl is the eastern screech owl, however that name is misleading. Its call is a descending whinny not a screech. It looks like a miniature version of the great-horned owl because it has little ear tufts. It can come in a reddish phase or a gray phase. Screech owls are more common in the southern part of the state and may inhabit suburbs and open woodlands. However, like the others, camouflage makes them difficult to see.
Hearing owl vocalizations is the best way to confirm their presence. Even if they are sitting in a tree nearby and fly to another perch, darkness and their silent flight make it nearly impossible to spot them. A soft fringe on the outer edge of their feathers enables them to fly without making any noise. This is a helpful adaptation for sneaking up on unsuspecting prey.
If you go out in search of owls, being quiet yourself is essential. Not only will it help you hear owl sounds, but you will be less likely to disturb them.
Being outside at night can be a magical experience and something that many folks never do. There’s no guarantee that you’ll hear an owl, but you can be sure that your experience will be different than if you stayed inside, and that the trip will be worthwhile.