Order: Owls

Northern White-faced Owl

Northern White-faced Owls stand at about ten inches tall, comparable in size to Eastern Screech-Owls. They are distinguished by their prominent ear tufts and a striking white facial disc outlined by a thick black border. The body of the Northern White-Faced Owl is predominantly light gray-brown, adorned with delicate streaks and vermiculation’s – or markings…

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Spectacled Owl

Adult Spectacled Owls are distinctive for their brown upperparts and head with whitish face markings resembling a pair of glasses. As juveniles, their facial markings are the complete opposite—pure white except for a chocolate brown facial disc! This distinctive species can be found throughout Central and South America in dense rainforest habitats. The call of…

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A Eurasian Eagle Owl

Eurasian Eagle-Owls have the largest wingspan of any owl species, reaching a whopping 6.5 feet! This species is widely distributed across Europe and Asia, and frequents a variety of habitats, from coniferous forests to grasslands and deserts. Eurasian Eagle-Owls are powerful flyers and soar on updrafts, similar to the flight style of many hawks. They…

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A light brown Eastern Screech-Owl calmly perched on the gloved hand of a National Aviary expert.

Eastern Screech-Owls are a very common owl species throughout North America, and they have gotten very used to living near humans. These pint-sized owls can be gray or a reddish-brown. They roost and nest in cavities in trees, but also make use of nest boxes. Males are smaller than females, but still have a deeper…

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Burrowing Owl on a rock

Burrowing Owls are a small, long-legged species of owl that spends the majority of its time on the ground. They are native to open grassland, prairie, and desert habitats and range from southern Canada (where they are considered an endangered species) to the drier habitats of South America. They have also been found nesting in…

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Headshot of a Barred Owl

A relatively common Nearctic owl, the Barred Owl inhabits mature mixed deciduous-coniferous forests, often near streams or wooded swamps. This owl nests primarily in cavities, with both parents helping to care for the young until the autumn. Barred Owls have a varied diet of small mammals and birds. Barred Owls are, unfortunately, susceptible to collisions…

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In The News

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What to Do If You Find a Baby Bird in Your Yard—and the Mistake You Should Never Make (ft. Insights from Bob Mulvihill) | Yahoo News

Picture this: you step outside your front door to enjoy another summer's day, when, suddenly, you hear a faint peeping coming from somewhere in your bushes nearby. You crouch down to take a closer look and discover a small, flightless little bird on the ground, seemingly alone and away from its nest.

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Future looks brighter for some endangered birds | Kingsport Times News

Everyone, including birders, enjoys reading some good news. There have been some recent success stories involving some of the world’s most endangered birds, including hopeful stories about the Hawaiian stilt and Guam kingfisher.

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How 4 chicks at the National Aviary are helping bring nearly extinct birds back to the wild | CBS News

A fourth Guam kingfisher has hatched at the National Aviary this year, bringing the species one step closer to someday returning to its native habitat, where it's been extinct for 40 years.

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The Flower Colors Hummingbirds Can’t Resist, According to Ornithologists (ft. Insights from Bob Mulvihill) | Real Simple

If you’re hoping to welcome more hummingbird families to your yard this season, the flowers you plant can make a huge difference.

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