Is Maryland a good place to see owls? Yes, at least three owl species are common in Maryland and found throughout the state!
In Maryland, we can see and hear Barred Owls in wooded areas, and big Great Horned Owls in every corner of the state. Eastern Screech-Owls hide very well but also occur throughout Maryland.
Which owls in Maryland are common and which ones are rare?
See answers in this article about the owls of Maryland!
Based On Data – The Most Common Owls In Maryland
Based on eBird data, there are eight commonly seen owl species in Maryland. Some of them are rarely spotted, some more often, but this does not change the fact that Maryland is a true owl state!
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.
The Barred Owl flaps and glides on big, broad wings. It also has a medium-length, broad tail with a few dark brown bands.
Barred Owls live in deciduous and coniferous forests and woodlands. They nest in abandoned nests of raptors and crows and in tree cavities.
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.
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.
Eastern Screech-Owls flap and glide on long, broad wings.
During the day, this owl hides in holes, or in dense vegetation. Eastern Screech-Owls live in wooded and park-like habitats east of the Rocky Mountains in Canada and the USA.
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.
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.
Males and female Great Horned Owls look the same but females are larger. They also have a medium-length tail with dark bands, and long, broad wings.
The Great Horned Owl lives in every type of habitat in much of North America, and Maryland is no different.
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.
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.
The Northern Saw-whet Owl breeds in coniferous and mixed forests in Canada and the northern and western USA but winters in southern states.
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.
Short-eared Owl (rare)
- 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.
This owl is active day and night in open fields. They are more commonly seen during winter, with some birds staying in Maryland until Aril or even May.
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.
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 tan upperparts and white underside. They have a distinctive flat heart-shaped face.
Both sexes are alike, but females are a bit larger than males and have buff on their chests.
In flight, Barn Owls look like a large, pale, moth-like bird with a big, rounded head.
Barn Owls have a small year-round population in Maryland. You can see them on grasslands and other open habitats near older buildings.
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.
Long-eared Owl (rare)
- 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. They sometimes winter in Maryland but in small numbers.
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 (vagrant)
- 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.
This owl species is active during the day and lives in wide-open habitats. They are rare vagrants in Maryland, and might not arrive every year. Looking at maps, Snowy Owl’s non-breeding range does not usually extend much lower than the Great Lakes, but Snowy Owls occasionally venture even more south (for example, Missouri and Illinois)
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common owl in Maryland?
The most common owl in Maryland is the Barred Owl
Is it legal to own an owl in Maryland?
No, it is not legal to own an owl in Maryland.
Do Barn Owls live in Maryland?
Barn Owls do live in Maryland. However, they are rare birds in the state.
What kind of owls live in DC?
The kinds of owls that live in DC are the Barred Owl, Great Horned Owl, and Eastern Screech-Owl.