General Information
The barred owl is a common, medium-sized owl found throughout Ohio and the eastern United States, south into Mexico and north into the southern part of Canada. In recent years, barred owl populations have been moving west through the United States, and they may be partly responsible for the decline of the spotted owl in this region. When barred owls and spotted owls live in the same area, the more aggressive barred owl tends to push the spotted owl out.
Barred owls prefer to live in large, forested areas, usually near a water source such as a marsh or stream. Researchers have found that this habitat choice has more to do with the fact that trees are less likely to be disturbed in wetter areas than it does with the owls needing to live near a water source.
Meet Our Barred Owl
One barred owl, Beaker, lives in the Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden—Presented by KeyBank at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
Beaker
Beaker the barred owl came to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in 2012 from Back to the Wild, a wildlife rehabilitation center in Castalia, Ohio. He was an adult when he was found with damage to his right wing. Unfortunately, the damaged wing could not be restored to its natural form, preventing Beaker from flying well enough to survive in the wild. Beaker is now glove-trained and used in educational programs throughout the Museum.
Lifespan
Wild: 10–15 years
Captivity: 15–20 years
Fun Facts