With millions of acres of woodlands, Iowa has the perfect habitat for owls.
But which owls live in Iowa? And where can you find them?
Are There Any Common Owls in Iowa?
In order to get the most accurate data on owl sightings, we relied on eBird data. With impressive woodlands, it’s no surprise Iowa is a fan-favorite of different owl species.
In the following list, there are 8 common and not-so-common owl species you can spot, starting with the most common.
Barred Owl
Photograph © Greg Lavaty.
- Range: A permanent resident in most forested areas in Canada, parts of some Pacific Northwestern states, and most of the eastern USA.
- Length: 21 inches
- Wingspan: 42 inches
- Call: Makes loud hooting and caterwalling sounds, “Who cooks for you?! Who cooks for youaaaal!”
The Barred Owl is a medium to large owl with a round head and a narrow black border on its pale gray face. It has dark brown upperparts with white markings, and dark brown streaks on its belly.
This species also has a yellowish beak and dark eyes. Both sexes look the same, except that females are a bit larger than males.
Barred Owls live in deciduous and coniferous forests and woodlands
Key Identifications:
- Big owl with a round head that has white marks on dark brown upperparts, and dark brown streaks on pale underparts.
- Perches and swoops through wooded areas at night but can also be active in the day.
- Nests in tree cavities and in abandoned nests of crows and hawks.
- Catches a wide variety of small animals.
Great Horned Owl
- Range: Permanent resident in much of Alaska, Canada, and the USA.
- Length: 22 inches
- Wingspan: 44 inches
- Call: Makes a low, gruff, “hooo, hoo hoo hoo hoooo”.
The Great Horned Owl is a big, bulky owl with big ear tufts and a black beak. It is mottled gray and brown, has a rufous or gray face, and fine black barring on its underparts. This owl also has a white throat and some dark marks on its breast.
Related: What is the state bird of Iowa?
Males and female Great Horned Owls look the same, but females are larger.
This nocturnal owl species lives in every possible habitat, including urban areas.
Key Identifications:
- Big, bulky brown or gray owl with ear tufts and fine barring on its underparts.
- Nests in old stick nests of other large birds, on ledges, and in other situations.
- Watches from a perch or glides over open habitats at night, to catch mammals and some birds on the ground.
Short-eared Owl
- Range: Summer resident in Alaska, Canada, and the western and central USA. Northern birds migrate to the USA, south to California and Texas.
- Length: 15 inches
- Wingspan: 38 inches
- Call: Makes a hoarse, raspy, cat-like call, “rehw”.
The Short-eared Owl is a medium-sized, pale brown owl with dark eye patches on a pale face. They have a dark breast and streaks on pale underparts. This species has long wings with buff wing patches.
Both sexes look similar, but females are a bit larger and usually darker and buffier.
They are active day and night in open fields.
Key Identifications:
- Medium-sized pale brown and buffy owl with very short ear tufts.
- Dark eye patches on a pale face and long wings with buff patches near the wingtips.
- Nests on the ground in dense vegetation.
- Glides over open fields to catch small animals on the ground.
Eastern Screech-Owl
- Range: Permanent resident in parts of southeastern Canada, and in much of the eastern USA.
- Length: 8.5 inches
- Wingspan: 20 inches
- Call: Makes a rather high-pitched, descending whinny call, and a tremulous, vibrating call on the same pitch, “wududududududududududu”.
The Eastern Screech Owl is a small owl with ear tufts. It can be reddish, brown, or mostly gray, has “V”-shaped pale eyebrows, and some black on the edge of its face. It is also mottled above with some white spotting, and has pale underparts with dark barring and streaks.
Males and females look alike, but females are a bit larger. This species also has yellow eyes, a pale yellow-gray beak, and some white bands on its broad tail.
During the day, this owl hides in holes or in dense vegetation. They like wooded and park-like habitats.
Key Identifications:
- Small owl with ear tufts and mottled brown or gray plumage that lives east of the Rocky Mountains.
- Lives in a variety of wooded and park-like habitats.
- Nests in tree cavities and nest boxes.
- Swoops down to the ground catch a variety of small animals at night.
Northern Saw-whet Owl
- Range: Lives in coniferous and mixed hardwood forests of Alaska, a large area of Canada, and parts of the northern and western USA.
- Length: 8 inches
- Wingspan: 17 inches
- Call: Makes a repeated tooting whistle call, over and over, “tu, tu, tu, tu, tu, tu, tu, tu, tu”.
The Northern Saw-whet Owl is a small, dark brown owl with a round head and brown streaks on white underparts. It also has some pale streaks on its head, a brown and white face, and some white spotting on its back.
Both sexes look the same but females are a bit larger. This species also has yellow eyes, a dark beak, longish, rounded wings, and a short, broad tail.
This nocturnal owl lives in forested habitats.
Key Identifications:
- Small, dark brown owl with a round head, broad white eyebrows, and thick dark streaks on pale underparts.
- Occurs in dense coniferous and mixed forest.
- Nests in old woodpecker holes and can use nest boxes.
- Swoops down to catch insects and small animals at night.
The Northern Saw-whet Owl breeds in coniferous and mixed forest in Canada and the northern and western USA, including %STATE%. It nests in old woodpecker holes and is identified by its small size, round head, thick white eyebrows, and thick streaks on pale underparts. The name of this owl refers to the similarity of its call to the sound made by sharpening an antique old saw blade.
Long-eared Owl
- Range: Migrant in southern Canada, resident and winters in much of the USA. Absent from parts of the Pacific Northwest and southeastern states.
- Length: 15 inches
- Wingspan: 36 inches
- Call: Makes a single, one second long “Hooo!” call at regular intervals.
The Long-eared Owl is a medium-sized, slender owl with long ear tufts. It has an orange face, is mottled gray above, and has dark brown streaks and marks on pale underparts. This owl also has long wings with a rufous patch in its primaries.
Male and female Long-eared Owls look similar but females are larger. This owl species also has yellow eyes, and some pale markings between its eyes and around its dark beak.
This nocturnal owl frequents coniferous woodlands near meadows.
Key Identifications:
- Medium-sized, slender owl species with long ear tufts, orange on its face, and long wings with an orange-brown patch near the wingtips.
- Occurs in coniferous and mixed forests near meadows, bogs, and other open areas.
- Nests in old crow, magpie, and hawk nests.
- Glides over open habitats near forest at night to catch small animals on the ground.
Snowy Owl rare
- Range: Summer resident in northern Alaska and northern Canada. It winters in Canada and the northern USA.
- Length: 23 inches
- Wingspan: 52 inches
- Call: Usually quiet but occasionally makes a low, gruff call, “whew…whuh”.
The Snowy Owl is a big, mostly white owl with a round head and yellow eyes. Some males are mostly white but most have some small dark marks. Females and young birds have white faces and varying degrees of black barring.
Females are a bit larger than males and have more black markings than males. Snowy Owls also have long, broad wings and a broad tail.
Iowa is slightly out of their natural range, so Snowy Owls are rather rare here,
Key Identifications:
- Big white owl with a round head, and varying degrees of black or dark gray barring and spots.
- Lives in tundra and winters in wide open habitats.
- Nests on the ground, on elevated spots in Arctic tundra.
- Watches from a perch and glides low to catch small animals on the ground.
Barn Owl rare
- Range: In Canada, occurs mostly in southwestern British Columbia. In the USA, they live in many areas but are absent from mountains and cold, northern regions. They range north to Washington, Nebraska, Iowa, and New York.
- Length: 16 inches
- Wingspan: 42 inches
- Call: A shrill, loud, hissing “shriiiiii!”
The Barn Owl is a medium to large, pale owl with golden tan and gray upperparts, and white underparts. It has a distinctive, white, heart-shaped face.
Both sexes are alike but females are a bit larger than males and have buff on their chest.
In flight, Barn Owls look like a large, pale, moth-like bird with a big, rounded head.
This owl lives near grasslands, farms, and other open habitats.
Key Identifications:
- Large pale owl with a heart-shaped face.
- Glides and flutters over fields and other open areas at night.
- Nests in tree cavities, crevices in church steeples and other structures, and next boxes.
- Preys on rats and other small animals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Iowa have Barn Owls?
Yes, Iowa has Barn Owls. However, they are uncommon residents.
Are Burrowing Owls in Iowa?
Yes, there are Burrowing owls in Iowa. However, they only occur as rare vagrants.
Does Iowa have Snowy Owls?
Yes, Iowa has Snowy Owls. However, they are rare visitors to the state.
What do owls eat in Iowa?
In Iowa, owls eat rodents, small birds, and other small animals.
Read next: Birds of Iowa | Hawks | Woodpeckers | State Bird