Texas, a state renowned for its sprawling landscapes and rich biodiversity, offers an extraordinary canvas or birdlife. As the sun dips below the horizon, painting the vast skies with fiery hues, another world awakens – a world dominated by the silent, feathered hunters of the night: owls.
These enigmatic raptors, with their haunting calls, piercing eyes, and mastery of nocturnal stealth, are among the most captivating creatures in the Lone Star State's diverse ecosystems.
But...
Which species can be seen here?
11 Texas Owl Species: Silent Hunters
Texas's sheer size and its remarkable variety of habitats – from the dense pine forests of East Texas, the rolling prairies of the Panhandle, and the arid Chihuahuan Desert of the Trans-Pecos, to the thorny brush country of the Rio Grande Valley and the extensive coastal marshes – provide a home for a surprising number of owl species. Each is uniquely adapted to its niche, whether it's a tiny elf owl nesting in a saguaro cactus or a powerful Great Horned Owl surveying open country from a tall tree.
Understanding these nocturnal sentinels requires more than just listening for their calls; it involves appreciating their specialized senses, unique hunting strategies, and the vital role they play in maintaining ecological balance. They are critical predators of rodents, insects, and other small animals, contributing significantly to pest control.
1. Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
Status in Texas: Very Common Year-Round Resident
The Great Horned Owl is the most widespread and arguably the most recognizable owl in Texas, and indeed, North America. Often dubbed "the tiger of the air," it's a large, powerful owl with prominent ear tufts (which are feathers, not ears), piercing yellow eyes, and a camouflaging mottled brown plumage. Its deep, resonant hoot, "hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo," is a classic sound of the Texas night.
Habitat and Diet: Incredibly adaptable, Great Horned Owls thrive in nearly every habitat across Texas, from deep forests and riparian woodlands to suburban parks, deserts, and even urban environments. Their diet is exceptionally varied, encompassing a wide range of prey from small rodents, rabbits, and squirrels to skunks, opossums, and even other birds, including other owls.
Where to find them: Listen for their hoots just after dusk or before dawn. Look for them perched high in large trees, utility poles, or even on rooftops. Their large, bulky stick nests (often repurposed from hawks or crows) can be seen in tall trees during late winter.
2. Barred Owl (Strix varia)
Status in Texas: Common Year-Round Resident (primarily East and Central Texas)
The Barred Owl is a distinctive owl known for its dark, soulful eyes and its characteristic hooting call that sounds like "Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?" It has brownish-gray plumage with vertical streaks on its belly and horizontal barring on its chest, giving it a "barred" appearance.
Habitat and Diet: Barred Owls strongly prefer dense, mature deciduous or mixed forests, particularly near water sources like rivers, swamps, and bottomland hardwood forests. They are highly vocal and active during the day, making them easier to spot than some other nocturnal owls. Their diet consists primarily of small mammals (especially voles and mice), amphibians, reptiles, and sometimes small birds.
Where to find them: Head to heavily wooded areas, particularly in East and Central Texas. Listen for their distinctive call during the day or early evening. They often perch on open branches.
3. Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio)
Status in Texas: Common Year-Round Resident
The Eastern Screech-Owl is a small, compact owl, barely 8-10 inches tall, with prominent ear tufts. They exhibit two color morphs: a common rufous (reddish-brown) morph and a less common gray morph. Their plumage provides excellent camouflage against tree bark. Their call is a distinctive descending whinny or a soft, trilling whistle.
Habitat and Diet: These adaptable owls are common residents of woodlands, suburban parks, orchards, and even large backyard trees across much of Texas. They are cavity nesters, readily using natural tree cavities or artificial nest boxes. Their diet consists mainly of large insects (moths, crickets), spiders, small rodents, and small birds, which they often snatch from perches.
Where to find them: Listen for their whinnying calls at night, especially in residential areas with mature trees. Look for them roosting in tree cavities, dense foliage, or special screech-owl nest boxes during the day.
4. Western Screech-Owl (Megascops kennicottii)
Status in Texas: Common Year-Round Resident (Western and Trans-Pecos Texas)
The Western Screech-Owl is the counterpart to the Eastern Screech-Owl, found primarily in the western half of Texas. It is virtually identical in size and general appearance to the Eastern Screech-Owl, also having prominent ear tufts and gray and rufous color morphs. The most reliable way to differentiate them in the field is by their call: the Western Screech-Owl has a series of accelerating hoots that sound like a bouncing ball, rather than the Eastern's whinny.
Habitat and Diet: Western Screech-Owls prefer riparian woodlands, desert oases, juniper-oak woodlands, and suburban areas within their range. Like their eastern cousins, they are cavity nesters. Their diet is similar, primarily insects, small mammals, and small birds.
Where to find them: In West Texas, look for them in habitats with large trees along waterways, desert washes, and canyons. Listen for their distinctive accelerating hoots at night.
5. Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)
Status in Texas: Common Year-Round Resident (western and central Texas); Migratory (northern Texas)
The Burrowing Owl is a unique and charismatic species, unlike any other owl in Texas. It is a small owl with long legs, no ear tufts, bright yellow eyes, and a short tail. Its plumage is sandy brown with white spotting. What sets it apart is its behavior: it lives and nests in underground burrows, often those dug by prairie dogs or badgers.
Habitat and Diet: Burrowing Owls inhabit open grasslands, prairies, deserts, and agricultural areas, particularly where ground squirrels or prairie dogs are abundant. They are active during the day as well as at night, often seen standing alertly at the entrance to their burrow. Their diet includes large insects (grasshoppers, beetles), small rodents, and reptiles.
Where to find them: Look for them in the vast open plains of the Texas Panhandle and West Texas. They are often seen perched on low mounds, fence posts, or the burrow entrance itself.
6. Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)
Status in Texas: Common Winter Resident; Rare Breeder in the Panhandle
The Short-eared Owl is a medium-sized owl named for its very small, often inconspicuous, ear tufts. It has a streaky, buff-brown plumage, relatively long wings, and a pale underwing with a distinctive dark patch near the wrist. They often hunt during the day, especially at dawn and dusk, with a buoyant, moth-like flight over open fields.
Habitat and Diet: Short-eared Owls are owls of open grasslands, prairies, marshes, and agricultural fields. They are highly nomadic, moving to areas with abundant prey (primarily voles and other small rodents). They may also take small birds.
Where to find them: During winter, look for them flying low over open fields across much of Texas, particularly in the northern and coastal regions. You might see several individuals hunting in the same area.
7. Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)
Status in Texas: Uncommon Winter Resident; Rare Local Breeder (Panhandle and Trans-Pecos)
The Long-eared Owl is a slender, medium-sized owl with very long, prominent ear tufts that are usually held erect, making its head appear elongated. Its plumage is heavily streaked and cryptically patterned, providing excellent camouflage against tree bark. It has deep orange eyes. It is primarily nocturnal and much harder to spot than the Short-eared Owl.
Habitat and Diet: Long-eared Owls prefer dense stands of conifers or deciduous trees for roosting and nesting, often near open grasslands or fields where they hunt. They commonly use abandoned stick nests of other large birds. Their diet consists almost exclusively of small rodents, particularly voles.
Where to find them: During winter, search dense conifer groves, thickets, or riparian woodlands across Texas. Listen for their soft, low hoots or their distinctive "hoo-hoo-hoo" series at night. Finding their pellet (regurgitated undigested material) roosts beneath trees is a good sign.
8. Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
Status in Texas: Common Year-Round Resident
The Barn Owl is a globally distributed species recognized by its distinctive heart-shaped, pale white facial disk, dark eyes, and largely white or pale buff underparts. It lacks ear tufts. Its eerie, hissing screech, rather than a hoot, is unsettling to many.
Habitat and Diet: Barn Owls are closely associated with open country and human structures. They inhabit grasslands, agricultural fields, marshes, and deserts, and famously roost and nest in barns, silos, abandoned buildings, tree cavities, and nest boxes. They are incredibly efficient predators of small rodents (especially voles, mice, and shrews), consuming vast numbers.
Where to find them: Look for them hunting over open fields at dusk. Check old barns, silos, and abandoned structures for their presence or signs of their droppings and pellets. Installing a barn owl nest box can attract them to suitable areas.
Uncommon And Rare Owls
9. Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)
Status in Texas: Very Rare Irruption Visitor (winter)
A true spectacle, the Snowy Owl is an iconic Arctic resident that rarely ventures as far south as Texas. Its all-white plumage (more pure white in older males, with varying degrees of dark barring in females and juveniles) makes it unmistakable. It's a large, powerful owl with bright yellow eyes and no ear tufts.
Habitat and Diet: Snowy Owls typically inhabit open tundra. When prey populations (especially lemmings) crash in the Arctic, they undertake "irruptions," moving south in search of food. In Texas, if one appears, it would likely be found in vast open fields, prairies, or coastal dunes, searching for rodents or ducks.
Where to find them: Sighting a Snowy Owl in Texas is a very rare event, often making headlines in the birding community. They would only be seen during severe northern winters as an irruptive visitor.
10. Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi)
Status in Texas: Uncommon Summer Resident (Trans-Pecos and extreme South Texas)
The Elf Owl is the smallest owl in the world, barely 5 inches tall, making it smaller than a sparrow! It has no ear tufts, bright yellow eyes, and a small, rounded head. Its plumage is brownish-gray with subtle streaking. Its call is a series of soft, rapid yelps or chuckles.
Habitat and Diet: Elf Owls are specialists of arid desert habitats, particularly those with saguaro cacti, large Joshua Trees, or riparian woodlands with large mesquite or sycamore trees. They nest in old woodpecker holes in these trees. Their diet consists almost entirely of insects and scorpions, which they catch in flight or on the ground.
Where to find them: To find Elf Owls in Texas, you must visit the Trans-Pecos region (e.g., Big Bend National Park) or the extreme southern tip of Texas (e.g., Santa Ana NWR, Estero Llano Grande SP) where their specific desert habitats occur. Listen for their soft calls at dusk or after dark.
11. Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum)
Status in Texas: Uncommon to Rare Year-Round Resident (South Texas)
The Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl is a small, diurnal (active during the day) owl of the brush country in South Texas. It lacks ear tufts, has a rounded head, and is reddish-brown with streaking on its underparts. A key identification feature is the presence of two prominent black spots on the back of its neck, resembling "false eyes" to deter predators. Its call is a series of rapid, whistled hoots.
Habitat and Diet: This owl inhabits dense thornscrub, mesquite woodlands, and riparian thickets in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. It hunts during the day, preying on large insects, small birds, and small reptiles. Its boldness often allows for good daytime views.
Where to find them: This owl is a specialty of the Lower Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. Visit birding hot spots like Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Estero Llano Grande State Park, or Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park. Listen for its distinctive whistled hooting during the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Legal To Kill Owls In Texas?
No, it is illegal under state and federal laws to kill an owl in Texas. You could be charged with a misdemeanor if you kill, trap, cage, or poison any owl, even if it's threatening your livestock. Finding and keeping a dead owl is even considered illegal as well as moving a nest or the eggs in it.
Which Places In Texas Can You Find Owls?
You can find owls all over Texas if you're observant. They occupy forests, swamps, canyons, deserts, and even cities and parks. National and state parks across the state like the Big Bend and Guadalupe National Parks are hot owl destinations.
Can I Keep An Owl As A Pet In Texas?
No. Only licensed raptor rehabilitators or falconers can keep an owl a pet in Texas. To acquire a license, you also have to go through a series of training. Plus, you'd need to possess a suitable home for the bird.
Starting off as a falconer who can handle owls, you'd spend roughly $2,000.
Wrapping Up
Texas, with its incredible ecological diversity, provides a critical haven for these eleven fascinating owl species. From the familiar hoot of the Great Horned Owl echoing through a suburban park to the elusive whinny of a tiny Elf Owl in the desert, each species contributes to the rich tapestry of the state's natural heritage. Observing these silent hunters offers a profound connection to the wildness that thrives even in our most settled landscapes.
How many Texas owls have you spotted so far?
