By: Ashley Rogers, Former Education Intern & Michela Sales, Executive Assistant
For March, our at-risk species of focus is the Barred Owl (Strix varia), a brown-and-white-striped raptor that resides in both forested locales and swampland. This species has the appearance of a large fluffy-looking owl, with a brown barring on its upper breast and brown streaking on its lower breast and belly. Its head is rounded and lacks ear tufts, while its eyes are dark brown. The Barred Owl occurs throughout the eastern United States, north to southern Canada, and south to the Gulf Coast and Florida, and is a year-round resident, meaning it does not migrate.
In New Jersey, the Barred Owl is widely present throughout the wetland forests of southern NJ and in the riparian woodlands of northern NJ. It is extremely common for populations of this species to reside in the Highlands region of north Jersey, the Pequannock watershed, Sterling Forest, Wanaque Wildlife Management Area, the Passaic River basin, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Bear Swamp Natural Area, Belleplain State Forest, Great Cedar Swamp, along tributaries of the Maurice River, the Atlantic white cedar swamps and mixed hardwood swamps in the Pine Barrens region, and locally in High Point State Park. The Barred Owl, which is traditionally known as the “swamp owl”, is a common inhabitant of remote, contiguous, old-growth wetland forests as they require mature wetland woods containing large trees with cavities suitable for nesting. With that said, this species often strays away from human activity by avoiding residential, agricultural, industrial, and developed areas
This species has a resounding song, which is often represented as “who cooks for you, who cooks for you allll” (audio courtesy of RangerRick.org), accompanied by loud “hoo-ah” calls and yowling. It is very common to hear their song and calls from February to mid-April, which is the time of their courtship – be sure to listen carefully if you are in an area where this species is found, especially during this time of year! Barred Owls’ vocal activity tends to peak during March, and they are also a species that mates for life with their partner.
This species feeds on small mammals but can also have an appetite for reptiles, amphibians, insects, or small birds. They swallow their food whole and often regurgitate these prey items as pellets of undigested bones, fur and feathers. Areas that are often littered with these pellets tend to be a strong sign that Barred Owls are present.
In the state of New Jersey, Barred Owls are listed as a threatened species due to vehicular collisions, habitat degradation, and rodenticide. Because Barred Owls require large and extensive mature forested areas for their nesting cavities, they are affected by habitat fragmentation as well as becoming more vulnerable to human disturbance and predation by Great Horned Owls. Supporting land protections, establishing bird boxes, and reducing rodenticide application can help protect this species.
References:
https://abcbirds.org/news/owl-be-seeing-you-amazing-facts-about-owl-eyes
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Barred_Owl/overview
https://conservewildlifenj.org/?species=strix-varia