What kind of Owl?

[jeff kushner]

I went to put away some yard tools after dinner and found this guy in the tree next to our gazebo deck

The hummingbird feeders is below him but I think his eyes are bigger!
He is around 18" tall



I didn't see horns but I thought he might be too large to be a barn owl.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Looks like a barred owl! What a beautiful sight!

 

[wellington]

Wow nice, how lucky! Does look like a barred owl. Wonder what he was doing out. I thought all owls mainly came out at night.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Wow nice, how lucky! Does look like a barred owl. Wonder what he was doing out. I thought all owls mainly came out at night.

Barred owls can be out during the day, usually if it’s not super sunny or they’re raising babies, for some owls daylight is damaging to their eyes, but I don’t think that’s the case with these guys

 

[KarenSoCal]

We have little burrowing owls here. Sometimes you'll spot one sitting under a bush during the day.

 

[jaizei]

Wonder what he was doing out.

The way he's looking at Jeff, I'd steer clear of any staircases

 

[TammyJ]

He's lovely !

 

[Maro2Bear]

Barred Owl for sure. We have a few in our back garden & just recently they started their “Who Cooks for You” singing. They start a few hours before sunset.

Good job getting the pix Jeff

 

[Dustin]

You are in the historical native range for the Barred Owl. They have expanded their range all the way to the west coast over the last hundred plus years though. USFWS recently announced a plan to cull nearly 500,000 of them in an attempt to preserve the Spotted Owl.

 

[jeff kushner]

Thanks guys for the detective work. An absolutely stunningly gorgous bird.

I told Kerry that living at the Nook is like owning a Zoo where we don't have to feed or clean up for the animals!