First Barred Owl Sighting at Union Bay Natural Area, Seattle – photo by Woody Wheeler
Every time I go out birding, there is a surprise. Recently, while leading a tour at the Union Bay Natural Area (UBNA), we experienced a big one: the first Barred Owl ever seen at UBNA! It took me 15 years and hundreds of visits to UBNA to see an owl of any kind there. Connie Sidles, author of In My Nature, a book about exploring the wilds of UBNA, aka Montlake Fill, confirmed that this was indeed the first Barred Owl sighting at the Fill.
Actually, a flock of Bushtits saw it first. They buzzed and chattered in such an agitated way that I was alerted to the presence of a predator. Just around the corner, I saw the Barred Owl perched 12 feet high in nearby tree. Three Anna’s Hummingbirds hovered nearby, appearing as if they were about to spear the owl with their long, sharp bills. This owl caused quite a stir.
Barred Owls are relatively large owls of the moist woodlands. They hunt mostly by sound, primarily at night. During day they conceal themselves in dense vegetation and tree cavities. Barred Owls eat small mammals, amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates. They nest in tree cavities or in open nests made by crows or hawks.
In the last few decades, Barred Owls have expanded their range westward from their former range in the eastern United States across southern Canada all the way to the state of Washington. They were first seen in Eastern Washington in 1965 and are now found in most forested areas of the state.
Another species of owl probably wishes the Barred Owl did not go west. Barred Owls are aggressive and more adaptable than the closely related and threatened Northern Spotted Owl. Although Barred Owls do not require old-growth forests, they venture into them in search of food and habitat. Once there, they can displace Spotted Owls.
During spring and summer you might hear Barred Owls’ distinctive hoot with a southern accent: “Who cooks for you-all.” Most populations of Barred Owls are increasing, and this one sighted in UBNA is yet another example of their expanding range.
Magical sightings like this happen when you have your head up and your senses engaged. When you go out to the woods today, you never know WHO might surprise you. Happy Halloween!
Sources: AllAboutBirds.com – Cornell Lab of Ornithology website; Birds of Washington State, Brian Bell and Gregory Kennedy; The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior, David A. Sibley.
