Owl calls are also mentioned in the Hobbit, when the dwarves tell Bilbo to "Hoot twice like a barn owl and once like a screech owl." This reminded me that I don't know what a screech owl sounds like, so I'm hoping this post fixes that.
I will rely on YouTube clips for this post, since I sadly do not have any owl recordings!
I will start with the owls common to Colorado, and I may add a few others, with a not that they are not commonly found in Colorado.
OWLS THAT "HOOT"
Starting with the 'typical owl sound' that we all know so well.
- FLAMMULATED OWL
These owls have a deep "hoot" that the Cornell Lab of Ornithology compares to the sound you would get by blowing on the top of an empty glass bottle. They can be found in Colorado in the summer when they are breeding.
Here is the Flammulated owl call. I love how the neck feathers move every time it hoots.
I also found a video with a flammulated owl release, which helps show just how small these guys are.
- GREAT HORNED OWL
That classic "hoot" call that we all know so well, and for good reason. Not only are Great Horned Owls one of the most common and widespread of North America's owls, but their beautiful calls are both eerie and breathtaking.They have a simple pattern; hoo-h'HOO-hoo-hoo! They can be found in Colorado year-round.
Here is the call of the Great Horned Owl, in case you're not sure what they sound like!
- NORTHERN PYGMY OWL
These owls have a higher pitch "hoot" and eat song birds, so they often hunt during the day. This owl is a year-round resident of Colorado.
- BURROWING OWL
I can't decide whether their call is really a "hoot" noise or not, but it fits best in this category. This is another Diurnal owl (opposite of nocturnal!) and in Colorado it is most often found in the plains, neighbors to prairie dogs. They live in abandoned prairie dog holes! The Burrowing owl is a summer resident of Colorado.
Here is an awesome fun fact video on Burrowing Owls. They are very cool and interesting birds!
- LONG-EARED OWL
A deep, slow hoot is the call of the Long-Eared Owl. Long-eared owls can make a lot of other noises too, from squeals, clicks, wing slaps and cat-like mews. This owl winters in Colorado and in some places stays year-round.
I suggest going to this link to hear the many other calls they can make.
- NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL
This owl has a flutey high-pitch 'too-too-too' call. They remind me of someone blowing on a tin whistle. They are both winter and year-round residents to Colorado, and though common are rarely seen. When they are seen the freeze, pretending to be a part of the tree that they are in.
- BARRED OWL
Not a Colorado resident, but one of my favorite owls. I could often hear their "who cooks for you, who cooks for you all" call back in Maine.
- SNOWY OWL
Sometimes wintering in Colorado, these owls have a low raspy hoot in a series of two "who! who!"
Snowy Owls are hardy owls that can live year-round in the tundra. The male is more white, while the female has more black markings to help her blend in and hide from predators. Snowy Owls also whistle and bark.
OWLS THAT "TWITTER" AND "TRILL"
These owls sound more like a song bird then the bird of prey that they are.
- EASTERN SCREECH-OWL
The Eastern Screech owl sounds more like a frog then a bird to me, with a long drawn out trill. Sometimes this bird stays year-round in the North-Eastern part of Colorado.
Even though the owl call is quiet, this is a great video. The author makes a "phishing" sound at the owl, which many birders do to attract birds. This noise for whatever reason often makes birds come closer to investigate you, and sometimes makes them call. I also love the way the bird's whole body moves when it calls. Very Beautiful!
Here is the red morph of the Eastern Screech Owl. The sound is a tiny bit louder. I love watching the owl poke its head out of the snag cavity! In the very beginning before you see the owl appear, that sound that's almost like a whinny is another Eastern Screech Owl.
WESTERN SCREECH OWL
Like the Eastern Screech owl, these also have a series of short hoots. Usually only found in the South-West parts of Colorado.
BOREAL OWL
Here is another owl that has a beautiful trill call. Year-round residents of Colorado, especially around the Rocky Mountains.
You can hear the owl call in the beginning of this video, after the man starts talking it's pretty much just him making noises at the owl. I had a hard time finding something better.
OWLS THAT "SCREAM"
An alarming sound to hear, but that frightening sound is just the call of an owl. Be glad you're not a mouse.
- Barn Owl
While most of their calls are raspy and drawn out, they sometimes have a twittering "kleak kleak" call. This owl is a year-round resident in almost all of Colorado.
Here is a video to a barn owl and its "scream" While it might be making this noise because it is being held, they also call to each other like this.
Here is another video with lots of cool info in Barn owls
OWLS THAT BARK
- SHORT-EARED OWL
The Short-Eared Owls call is best described as a 'bark.' The Short-Eared Owl is a bird of the wide open plains, and is one of the most distributed owls world wide. They usually winter in Colorado with a few areas where they may stay year-round.
This Great video shows the difference between long and short eared owls, as they can sometimes be confused. The vocals are near the end.
Now that I have made this blog, I can say I know what a screech owl sounds like! I also realized that you often hear them in night scenes in movies, I just never realized that was an owl sound before!
Since this is already a youtube-filled blog, I may as well add one more!
Here is a video called OWLS: SILENT HUNTERS and has some cool facts about these amazing creatures.
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