Listen to the spotted owl
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
About the spotted owl
The spotted owl is a bird in the family Strigidae (order Strigiformes). Its conservation status on the IUCN Red List is “near threatened”.
What does the spotted owl sound like?
Birds produce sound with the syrinx, a vocal organ deep in the chest that can make two independent sounds at once. Songs tend to be long and patterned and are used to hold territory and attract a mate; calls are short signals for contact, alarm and flight.
The recordings here are labelled as barred owl. Listen for differences in rhythm, pitch and repetition – the spectrum display makes it easy to see whether a sound is a pure whistle (a thin line), a harsh call (a broad band) or a trill (rapid repeated marks).
From Wikipedia
The spotted owl (Strix occidentalis) is a species of true owl. It is a resident species of old-growth forests in western North America, where it nests in tree hollows, old bird of prey nests, or rock crevices. Nests can be between 12 and 60 metres (40 and 200 ft) from the ground, and usually contain two eggs (though some contain as many as four). It is a nocturnal owl which feeds on small mammals and birds. Three subspecies are recognized, ranging in distribution from British Columbia to Mexico. The spotted owl is under pressure from habitat destruction throughout its range, and is currently classified as a near-threatened species.
Related birds in the genus Strix
More from the family Strigidae
Frequently asked questions
What does a spotted owl sound like?
You can hear 2 recordings of the spotted owl on this page, including its barred owl. Birds produce sound with the syrinx, a vocal organ deep in the chest that can make two independent sounds at once.
Is the spotted owl endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the spotted owl as “near threatened”.
What family does the spotted owl belong to?
The spotted owl (Strix occidentalis) belongs to the family Strigidae in the order Strigiformes.
Sources & credits
- Barred Owl, Yellowstone National Park by National Park Service – Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
- Spotted Owl – US National Park Service by NPS – Public domain (NPS) · NPS
- Wikidata Q748921 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Spotted owl – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo by Hollingsworth, John and Karen; photo by USFS Region 5 (Pacific Southwest) – Public domain