Head to head
Spotted Owl vs Barred Owl
The spotted owl and barred owl are closely related forest owls whose ranges now overlap across much of the Pacific Northwest, a collision that has turned one species' success story into the other's ongoing crisis.
| Spotted Owl | Barred Owl | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Strix occidentalis | Strix varia |
| Habitat specificity | Strict old-growth forest dependence | Broad range of forest types |
| Range trend | Contracting under competitive pressure | Actively expanding westward |
| Eye colour | Dark brown | Dark brown |
| Conservation status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Population trend | Decreasing | Increasing |
| Habitat | Old-growth and mature forest | Forest |
| Diet | Carnivore | Carnivore |
Spotted Owl vs Barred Owl: common questions
Why has the barred owl become such a threat to the spotted owl?
The barred owl is a more adaptable generalist able to thrive across a broader range of forest types than the spotted owl, and its recent westward expansion into the Pacific Northwest has brought it directly into old-growth habitat the spotted owl depends on exclusively, where it outcompetes the more specialised species for the same limited resources and sometimes hybridises with it.
Can the spotted owl simply move to different habitat to avoid the barred owl?
Not easily; the spotted owl depends on the complex structure of old-growth forest specifically, conditions that take many decades or longer to develop, so unlike the more flexible barred owl it cannot simply shift into a wider range of younger or different forest types to escape competitive pressure.
How can you tell a spotted owl and a barred owl apart?
Both species share dark brown eyes and a similar rounded, tuftless head shape, making plumage pattern the more reliable distinguishing feature: the spotted owl shows a spotted pattern across its underside, while the barred owl displays horizontal barring across the chest that gives the species its name.