Northern Spotted Owl Facts
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The northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) one of three subspecies of spotted owl. Like all spotted owls, the northern spotted owl lives in old-growth forests. Although it is often considered to be a medium-sized owl, the northern spotted owl ranks among the largest in North America.
Fast Facts
Height: About 18 inches.
Length: About 18 inches (wingspan of around 48 inches).
Weight: 1-2 lbs; males smaller than females.
Lifespan: May live as long as 10 years in the wild and 15-20 years in captivity.
The northern spotted owl is dark-to-chestnut brown in color and sports round or oval white spots on its head, neck, back and under parts. Its flight feathers are also dark brown and barred with light brown or white.
Did You Know?
Spotted owls are one of the few owls that have dark colored eyes. Most owls have eyes colored from yellow to red-orange.
Diet
Northern spotted owls are primarily nocturnal hunters and eat flying squirrels, wood rats, mice and other small rodents. They are also known to eat birds, insects and reptiles.
Population
As a result of declining habitat, there are fewer than 100 pairs of Northern spotted owls in British Columbia, Canada, 1,200 pairs in Oregon, 560 pairs in northern California and 500 pairs in the state of Washington.
Range
Northern spotted owls are typically found in old growth forests of northern California and the Pacific Northwest of the United States, as well as in southern parts of British Columbia, Canada. See a spotted owl range map >>
Behavior
Northern spotted owls are very territorial and intolerant of habitat disturbance. They prefer old-growth forests with tree canopies that are high and open enough for the owls to fly between and underneath the trees. Preferred areas have large trees with broken tops, deformed limbs or large holes used as nesting sites. Each pair needs a large amount of land for hunting and nesting, and although they do not migrate, spotted owls may shift their ranges in response to seasonal changes, such as heavy snows, that make hunting difficult.
Northern spotted owls have a distinct flight pattern, involving a series of rapid wingbeats interspersed with gliding flight. This allows them to glide silently down upon their prey.
Did You Know?
The spotted owl serves as an "indicator species" for old-growth forests, meaning scientists study it to get a larger picture of the health of the ecosystem in which it lives.
Reproduction
Mating Season: February or March.
Gestation: About 1-2 months.
Clutch size: 2-3 eggs.
The female incubates the eggs for 30 days. After hatching, the female sits with her offspring for 8 to 10 days, eating food brought by the male owl. The young fledge, or acquire the necessary feathers for flying, about 34-36 days after hatching.
Climate Change and Other Threats
The biggest threat to the northern spotted owl is loss of old growth forest habitat as a result of logging and forest fragmentation. These threats are made even greater by natural disasters, such as fire, volcanic eruptions and wind storms.
These spotted owls are also affected by increasing barred owl populations. The range of barred owls has been expanding from the eastern United States into western Canada, the Pacific Northwest and northern California. Barred owls displace resident spotted owls and often breed with them, creating hybrids.
Climate change is projected to bring wetter winters and drier summers to northern spotted owl habitat. Summer drought stress could increase the rates of insect outbreaks and forest fires in the old-growth forests that the owls depend on.
Finally, higher temperatures and drought conditions favor diseases like the mosquito-borne West Nile virus. West Nile develops more rapidly at higher temperatures, increasing the likelihood of transmission. Drought conditions also concentrate birds at remaining water sources, making them an easier target for disease-carrying mosquitoes.
Legal Status/Protection
- Endangered Species Act (ESA): Northern spotted owls are listed as threatened under the ESA.
- IUCN Red List: Near threatened.
- CITES: Northern spotted owls are listed in Appendix II.
- Learn more about legal status and protection of northern spotted owls >>
How You Can Help
- Help spotted owls and other wildlife by adopting an animal at our Wildlife Adoption Center.
- Take Action for Wildlife at our Wildlife Action Center.
