Some observant DC-area birders were fortunate to catch sight of Short-eared Owl in the DC-northern Virginia urban core late in December and early in January.

I am captivated by Eastern Screech Owls. They have the qualities noted above, and they come in two colors – gray and red. They are robin-sized with cute ear tufts. But most important for me, they love nest boxes, suburban areas, and mixed woods, so that creating an environment for them is doable. If you build it, they will come!

Autumn is in full swing. November and December are the best times to enjoy the beautiful sound of hooting, especially from Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus).

Reston resident Dorli Bokel doesn’t consider herself a birder, but she loves the Barred Owls that she often hears nearby – especially the young ones.

Barred Owls are some of our most intriguing local birds. Most people will recognize their hoot-sequence call that sounds like, “Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all?” Unlike many other owls, they are semi-nocturnal. Their name comes from their striped plumage, or “bars.” They are the only eastern owls with deep brown eyes, which can appear blue-black in certain light. Females are larger than males, and only females incubate chicks, or owlets.

Owls are our nocturnal neighbors, leading secretive lives in woods and fields around us. Rarely seen during the day, they can be hard to spot at night. Here are 12 things to know about these elusive birds.

The Spotted Owl just can’t get a break. Endemic to old-growth forests in the Pacific North west, the endangered owl’s population was already declining due to deforestation, but now they have been forced to accommodate an inconsiderate guest: Barred Owls. Native to the eastern half of North America, the Barred Owl’s territory has been expanding westward since the turn of the last century.