Owls of Oregon: Get to know the 14 species found here, from pygmy to great horned owls

Oregon is owl country.

If you explore our old-growth forests or the high desert trails long enough, you’ll hear the deep, sonorous hoot of the great horned owl or the whimsical “who cooks for you” hoot of the barred owl.

Among 200 species of owls across the globe, 14 of them live in Oregon either permanently or seasonally, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. They include the largest and smallest owl species on Earth. Some are smaller than a pop can and are voracious midnight hunters that catch prey twice their size. Others have a wingspan of up to five feet and hunt in stealth mode, their round faces working like satellite dishes to collect scarce sounds and other information.

The best time to listen for owls is after dark in spring and fall, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Listening to their calls online can help to identify them in the wild. Spotting them by eye might be a little trickier, but you might luck out by watching meadows at dawn or dusk, or by scouring the canopies of forests.

Get to know Oregon’s owls below, with all the facts and sounds of our many nocturnal predators.