Head to head
Barred Owl vs Long-Eared Owl
A barred owl and a long-eared owl are both forest owls of North America with completely different survival stories, one thriving so well it has become a genuine threat to a struggling relative, the other surviving largely by disappearing, whether into a communal winter roost or its own branch-like disguise.
| Barred Owl | Long-Eared Owl | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Strix varia | Asio otus |
| Eye colour | Dark brown | Orange |
| Notable feature | Displacing the threatened spotted owl | Branch-mimicking camouflage posture |
| Roosting behaviour | Not communal | Often roosts communally in winter |
| Range trend | Expanding, into Pacific Northwest | Stable to locally decreasing |
| Nesting | Uses tree cavities | Reuses other birds' old nests |
| Hunting style | Perch-hunts at night | Hunts almost entirely by sound |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Barred Owl vs Long-Eared Owl: common questions
Why is the barred owl considered a conservation problem?
The barred owl has expanded significantly westward into the Pacific Northwest in recent decades, bringing it into direct competition with the threatened northern spotted owl, and where the two overlap, the barred owl's presence has contributed to further declines in spotted owl populations through competition, hybridisation, and displacement.
What does the long-eared owl do when it feels threatened?
When alarmed, a long-eared owl stretches its body tall and narrow while compressing its feathers tightly, transforming its silhouette into something closely resembling a broken tree branch, a camouflage posture the barred owl does not use, generally relying instead on its dark colouration and remaining still against tree bark.
Do the barred owl and long-eared owl build their own nests?
No, neither species builds its own nest from scratch — the barred owl typically nests in tree cavities, while the long-eared owl goes a step further and reuses the old abandoned nests of other birds such as crows, hawks, or magpies rather than constructing anything itself.