Learn 10 Common Owl Calls (Eastern United States)

Owl are incredible and mysterious birds that are more easily heard than seen. Learn 10 of the most common owl vocalizations in the Eastern United States with tips on how to remember them.

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Barn Owl in cover image by Lark Ascending (Public Domain, edited)
GHO in cover image by Jake Bonello (Public Domain, edited)
Barred Owl in cover image by David A Mitchell (CC by 2.0, edited)

Calls provided by Xeno Canto under CC 4.0 license unless otherwise noted:

Long-eared Owl Call by Alexander Kurthy XC108293

Great Horned Owl and Barred Owl calls by Jonathon Jongsma

Screech owl trill by Jonathon Jongmsa

Juvenile Great Horned Owl calls by Jonathon Jongsma - XC499998

Short-eared owl hoo notes by Nathan Pieplow (used with permission): Macaulay Library ML594913881

Short-eared Owl barking by Braden Meyer (used with permission) : Macaulay Library ML527237871

Juvenile Great Horned Owl photo by NPS / Hannah Schwalbe (Public Domain, edited)

Barn Owl image by jim toreli (Public domain)

Great Horned Owl Video by Andy Reago and Chrissy McClarren (CC by 2.0)
Long-eared Owl video by paramsach (CC by 2.0)

All other photos and videos by Derek and Ryan Sallmann

0:00 Intro
0:20 Great Horned Owl (1)
0:58 Great Horned Owl Call
1:08 Barred Owl
1:37 Barred Owl Call (2)
2:12 Eastern Screech Owl
2:50 Eastern Screech Owl Calls (3 and 4)
3:10 Northern Saw-whet Owl
3:32 Northern Saw-whet Owl Call (5)
3:45 Barn Owl
4:11 Barn Owl Call (6)
4:27 Long-eared Owl
4:44 Long-eared Owl Call (7)
5:02 Short-eared Owl
5:32 Short-eared Owl Calls (8 and 9)
5:56 Snowy Owl
6:05 Snowy Owl Call (10)
6:12 Juvenile Owls
6:30 Juvenile Owl Calls (Bonus)
6:38 Other Owl-like sounds
6:50 Mourning Dove Call (Bonus)

#Birding #BirdWatching #BadgerlandBirding

[BadgerlandBirding]

0:00 Intro
0:20 Great Horned Owl (1)
0:58 Great Horned Owl Call
1:08 Barred Owl
1:37 Barred Owl Call (2)
2:12 Eastern Screech Owl
2:50 Eastern Screech Owl Calls (3 and 4)
3:10 Northern Saw-whet Owl
3:32 Northern Saw-whet Owl Call (5)
3:45 Barn Owl
4:11 Barn Owl Call (6)
4:27 Long-eared Owl
4:44 Long-eared Owl Call (7)
5:02 Short-eared Owl
5:32 Short-eared Owl Calls (8 and 9)
5:56 Snowy Owl
6:05 Snowy Owl Call (10)
6:12 Juvenile Owls
6:30 Juvenile Owl Calls (Bonus)
6:38 Other Owl-like sounds
6:50 Mourning Dove Call (Bonus)

[SquirellsRJustUmamiMagpies]

Thank you for adding the mourning dove to this... I kept hearing it and did think it was an owl ... That was incredibly helpful bc I don't know how I would have learned what it was otherwise. Great video!

[melanielanders]

This was the absolute best identifier of owls I have ever heard. I identified 3 owls in my forest, thought I only had Barred owls, but I also have Great Horned and Long Eared Owl! So exciting, many thanks for a wonderful video!

[Unveiledtheblog]

The Barred owl is one of my favorite sounds lol. He or she is having a whole conversation starter hahaaa

[jonnyc]

Who else is here because they just heard an owl they didn't recognize?

I'm down here in Georgia and having listened to all of the calls from the hours that are most common in this area, I can only deduce that I was hearing a great horned owl. Normally it's a barred owl that I hear, and their call is so very distinctive that they're instantly recognizable to pretty much anyone who spends time outside at night in Georgia.

[hollyz]

I was outside tonight and heard a bird call. Thanks to your video, I now know it's an Eastern Screech Owl!

[shiroamakusa]

Ain't it amazing that they gave the moniker "screech owl" to owls that don't screech and NOT to that feathered banshee, the rather innoculously named "barn" owl?

[brtscafsma]

Im convinced the 1st Barred Owl you showed cooked for only himself. And he cooked a lot

[zaviercapsalot]

Bro the mourning dove is the sound I've heard my whole life but never knew what it was. My mom said she thought it was an owl so I clicked on this video. Thanks bro

[Oldsparkey]

The Barred Owl call at 2:10 mark, I had the going on for hours one night right above my hammock during a canoeing trip. It was on a paddling trip down the St. Mary's River in North Florida and Southern Georgia. The river is the boundary between the two states. Mixed in were some calls from a Coyote and it's pups on the Georgia side of the river the one night.

[rosagonzalez]

Thank you, at camp I kept hearing the "Who cooks for you". I always thought that was a great horned owl! I learned a lot with this short. Vid. Awesomeness!! 😊

[carolshannon]

I long to see owls, I have only seen one in the wild, but I have heard several. It always thrills me!

[meeschers]

Just heard a Eastern screech owl in front of my house. Your video helped confirm it.

[Onnabote]

I was alone with my dog in the Selkirks of northern Idaho last weekend. I may have been a little sensitive after we had a visit from a big ol' kitty early in the evening, but I had the unsettling pleasure of listening to a Great Horned Owl scream-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo at me for a half an hour after the sun went down.

Predator encounters are pretty standard up here, but that sound is especially haunting when your only companion is a golden retriever and some giant bird is making ape sounds in the night.

[MrWildernessgirl]

Thanks! I hear Barred Owls almost every night (we live on lake with lots of trees). I was trying to identify the primate like calls to see if they were also Barred Owl. Your clip is exactly what I have been hearing.

[Jen_S_Hassler]

I've heard Great Horned Owls in the past, but just this part week, I discovered there's a pair of Barred Owls near me! I'm still hoping somewhat I'll hear a sweet lil Screech Owl, but I'm thinking I'm not north enough for them where I live. Maybe someday in my travels, I'll find one... Great video, Derek, thanks so much!!

[BrunetteBandit]

I regularly hear several barred owls in my backyard talking back and forth, exactly like your video! I’ve been trying to research which owl it could be and your video was so helpful! I immediately recognized it as the barred owl so thank you! Owls are so cool 🦉 Going to learn more about them!

[wendynordstrom]

I'm in Sacramento and i always get excited when i hear owls. I went out and recorded some great horned owls one evening. I don't let my cat or in the evening because i don't want her to become Owl food.😊 I look forward to moving back to the Midwest and doing some bird watching.

[kwinslow]

Seriously!! Thank you, the mourning dove was the answer for me!! I won't get fooled again 🎶❤

[Jennifer.Rose]

Lol @ the mourning dove with all the red winged blackbirds in the background.