Diet
What do barred owls eat?
Small mammals, birds, amphibians and crayfish, hunted at night.
Owls (Strigidae)Barred OwlStrix varia
Spring and summer diet
- Mice, voles, frogs and crayfish
Fall and winter diet
- Mice, voles and roosting small birds
Best feeder foods
- None — hunts live prey after dark
A woodland owl that hunts suburban yards with mature trees; often heard — and sometimes seen — at dusk.
Where barred owls need winter food
Regions where barred owls are present in the cold months:
AlabamaArkansasBritish ColumbiaConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineManitobaMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriNebraskaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew YorkNewfoundland and LabradorNorth CarolinaNova ScotiaOhioOklahomaOntarioPennsylvaniaPrince Edward IslandQuebecRhode IslandSaskatchewanSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasVermontVirginiaWest VirginiaWisconsin
Frequently asked
What do barred owls eat?
Small mammals, birds, amphibians and crayfish, hunted at night.
What is the best food to feed barred owls?
None — hunts live prey after dark.
What do barred owls eat in winter?
Mice, voles and roosting small birds.
Sources
- Barred Owl — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Barred Owl life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Barred Owl — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.