Fun Spotted Owl Facts For Kids

Owls are nocturnal birds that can be divided into two families: barn owls and true owls. Spotted owls belong to the family of true owls and have dark eyes.

It is a typical North American owl that can be found in the old-growth forests and is mostly solitary. This species of owl is categorized into three subspecies which are: the northern spotted owl, the California spotted owl and the Mexican spotted owl.

Spotted owls are frequently confused with barred owls which are also a North American species, but barred owls are bigger than spotted owls. Spotted owls are facing major population declination due to the timber industry and various initiatives are being taken to conserve this species.

Already found this article interesting? Then please continue reading for more information about these spotted owls. For more relatable content, check out these tawny owl facts and short-eared owl facts for kids.

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Spotted Owl Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a spotted owl?

The spotted owl (Strix occidentalis) is a type of owl with a mottled appearance and dark eyes that is frequently confused with barred owls.

What class of animal does a spotted owl belong to?

The spotted owl (Strix occidentalis) belongs to the class Aves and has three subspecies: the northern spotted owl, the California spotted owl and the Mexican spotted owl.

How many spotted owls are there in the world?

The spotted owl’s range is within the North American territories just like the barred owl's. There are fewer than 2,360 pairs of northern spotted owls.

Where does a spotted owl live?

This bird has a wide range of distribution even though it is a Near Threatened species. The spotted owl range extends from British Columbia to the north of California. It can also be found in the Pacific Northwest, Utah, Colorado, and Mexico.

What is a spotted owl's habitat?

A typical spotted owl habitat is generally found in old-growth forests which constitute conifer forests, hardwood forests, and forests covered in canopies. One of its subspecies, Mexican spotted owls, can be found dwelling in a rocky mountain range with canyons and steep slopes.

These birds build their nests in tree cavities, old deserted nests, and cliffs where there is abundant food to prey on like wood rats and flying squirrels.

Who do spotted owls live with?

Spotted owls are solitary birds, it is only during the mating season when they search for a companion.

How long does a spotted owl live?

Their lifespan can be affected due to numerous things like climate change and also the presence of spotted owl predators in the forests where they dwell. Great horned owls, red-tailed hawks, and northern goshawks prey on spotted owls in conifer forests. However, the average lifespan of this bird is around 16-17 years.

How do they reproduce?

The process of reproduction involves mating, and the females lay up to two eggs after the breeding season.

What is their conservation status?

Due to the growth of timber industries and increased cutting down of trees, spotted owls are encountering a loss of their habitats, especially in the forests which fall under private property. Their population is also affected by the presence of their predators like great horned owls and the diminishing of old-growth forests.

This is affecting all the subspecies including the northern spotted owl, the Mexican spotted owl and the California spotted owl. Near Threatened is the conservation status of the species.

Spotted Owl Fun Facts

What do spotted owls look like?

Spotted owls are medium-sized owls from the true owl family. Spotted owls have a size of 17 in (43.2 cm), a wingspan of 45 in (114.3 cm), and weigh approximately 1.3 lb (0.6 kg).

The spotted owl (Strix occidentalis) has dark brown plumage with white spots all over its body. Their faces are shaped like disks and are covered in a buffish brown plumage with dark concentric lines.

The tail of this bird is 7.5-8.7 in (19-22 cm), and its eyes are black. These birds have whitish throats and their lower breast and abdomen have cross-shaped markings.

Spotted owls are frequently confused with barred owls because of their appearance but a close examination of these species enables us to comprehend why they are different.

Upon analysis of the spotted owl vs barred owl, we can observe that the barred owl is bigger and has a more grayish appearance than the spotted owl. Also, the barred owl has alternate bar-like markings on its breast and abdomen.

As well as a close analysis of their physical appearance, their temperament and habitat also enable us to deduce the differences between barred owl vs spotted owl birds.

The Strix occidentalis caurina's (or the northern spotted owl) size is 16-19 in (40.6-48.3 cm). Northern spotted owl feathers are dark brown with white spots and dark eyes.

The Strix occidentalis lucida (or the Mexican spotted owl) is considered as one of the largest owls which can be found in the North American continent with a body length of 16-19 in (40.6-48.3 cm). It weighs around 1.2-1.4 lb (0.5-0.6 kg).

It has a more or less similar appearance, with chestnut brown plumage and brown and white spots covering its head, abdomen, and back. The third subspecies is the Strix occidentalis occidentalis (or the California spotted owl) which has a mottled manifestation with spots like the rest of the subspecies and a barred tail.

The Mexican spotted owl is the most widely known old-growth inhabitant. Female spotted owls are bigger than males.

How cute are they?

These birds are extremely cute.

How do they communicate?

A spotted owl call has 13 different variations, including hooting, whistling, and barking. Spotted owl sounds can be heard during the night as it is a nocturnal bird. These sounds enable them to stay connected and communicate with each other.

How big is a spotted owl?

Spotted owls are also known as a nocturnal bird of prey, and this medium-sized bird has a body length of 17 in (43.2 cm) and a wingspan of 45 in (114.3 cm). These birds are smaller than barred owls. Females are bigger than males.

How fast can a spotted owl fly?

The specific speed of spotted owls is not listed.

How much does a spotted owl weigh?

The average weight is around 1.3 lb (0.6 kg).

What are their male and female names of the species?

Males of all bird species are referred to as a 'cock' and females as a 'hen'.

What would you call a baby spotted owl?

Baby owls after the eggs are hatched are called 'owlets'.

What do they eat?

The typical spotted owl diet consists of flying squirrels and woodrats, deer mice, and red tree voles, which are available in old-growth forests. Mostly, it preys on flying squirrels and woodrats.

Are they dangerous?

No, this is not believed to be a dangerous bird.

Would they make a good pet?

These birds are Near Threatened and the best environment for them is the forest, hence it is not a good idea to keep them as pets.

Did you know...

In 1860, John Xántus de Vesey first reported sighting spotted owls.

Spotted owls are also known as the canyon owl, the wood owl, the brown-eyed owl, and the pootie owl.

Spotted owls are important as they help balance the population of rodents and small animals and maintain the food chain.

Types of spotted owls

The spotted owl has three types of subspecies, the Strix occidentalis caurina which is commonly known as the northern spotted owl, is a native owl of the Pacific Northwest.

They inhabit old-growth forests that range from Canada to the south of Oregon. These birds can be discovered in their range that extends from south of British Columbia to Marin County in the north of California.

Northern spotted owls can be found in a considerable amount in states like California, Washington, and Oregon within the United States.

Northern spotted owls are extremely vulnerable to environmental disturbances and require enormous space for their nests and for preying on other animals. As this owl is commonly a non-migratory bird it will not leave its territory until and unless these northern spotted owls face extreme climate change.

Female northern spotted owls lay one or more eggs every breeding season, which is during March and April.

The Strix occidentalis lucida which is commonly known as the Mexican spotted owl is perhaps the most popular of all the subspecies. The Mexican spotted owl dwells in old-growth forests with Douglas fir and white pine trees.

Unlike Northern spotted owls, Mexican spotted owls prefer living near rocky cliffs with canyons and steep slopes.

Their range of distribution is in Texas, particularly in the Davis and Guadalupe mountains in the west, near the Mexican border. Just like Northern spotted owls, Mexican spotted owls are facing the issue of major habitat loss as their forests are being cut down by the timber industry.

The third on the list of subspecies is the Strix occidentalis occidentalis which is commonly known as the California spotted owl.

California spotted owls live in old-growth forest habitats just like the Northern spotted owl and Mexican spotted owls, however, the nesting sites of California spotted owls are present in regions of high canopy cover, with multiple layers of the canopy and large trees in its surrounding.

Their habitat forests are distributed from the west of the Sierra Nevada mountains, from the south of Shasta County to the Tehachapi Pass.

All of the three subspecies have a more-or-less a similar mottled appearance, with a barred tail and a face shaped like disks, but the plumage of the subspecies get paler and the spots get bigger as we move more towards the south.

Do spotted owls mate for life?

Spotted owls are monogamous, hence spotted owl pairs last for a lifetime.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our barn owl fun facts and flammulated owl facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable spotted owl coloring pages.