Western Screech-Owl

(photo by John Mariani)

     Birders are diurnal, owls are nocturnal, and neither the twain shall meet...NOT! Finding owls at night might seem a rather daunting prospect, but it isn't as impossible as it sounds. You can rely on luck, and just maybe catch one napping by day, but your chances are much better if you pursue them into their dark and mysterious world.

 
     Certain owls ARE easily seen by daylight (Burrowing Owl is the prime example), and several species are crepuscular, meaning that they are active at dawn and dusk (Short-eared Owl and Northern Pygmy-Owl occupy this category). But most are strictly nocturnal, presenting more of a challenge to birders.

     Many birders are undoubtedly unaware of how common some of our owl species are. Based on daytime observations you would never suspect that Western Screech-Owl is the most abundant bird of prey in the San Francisco Bay Area. Several other species are also surprisingly plentiful within their favored habitats. It's just a matter of knowing where and how to look.

Great Horned Owl

(photo by Steve Metz)

     The basic technique for finding owls at night (especially the smaller guys) is to go where they live and either imitate or play recordings of their calls. Owls are territorial, and react to this stimulus as if a real owl was intruding upon their turf. Obviously success depends in part on an understanding of the habits and habitat preferences of the different species. Note that these are preferences, not absolute rules. The following species can all be found in central California:

Barn Owl - Best sought in open and lightly wooded areas, and also along riparian corridors with fields nearby. While driving rural roads look for white birds perched on lines and fence posts.

Flammulated Owl - Uncommon-to-rare summer resident of ponderosa pine and pine-fir-oak forests in California's higher mountains (mainly at middle elevations). Nearest places to the Bay Area: vicinity of Chews Ridge in Monterey County, west slope of the Sierra Nevada near Yosemite National Park. This species tends to perch near tree trunks, which along with its puny size and cryptic coloration makes it a tough bird to see. When looking for this species hold your flashlight beside your head at eye level, and search for  its red eye shine.

Barn Owl

(photo by Steve Metz)

Western Screech-Owl - Common throughout California's coastal mountain ranges. Favors mixed evergreen (especially live oak) and riparian woodlands, and is most plentiful in canyons where these habitats converge (try roads & parks in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Hamilton Range). Can be found year-round, but is most vocal in late winter/early spring. Agitated individuals have some funny wavering calls that aren't represented on tapes. Often encountered in dueting pairs, and can be sexed by call (the male's voice is noticeably lower in pitch). Once spotlighted they can be very approachable.

Great Horned Owl - Common in a wide range of habitats, from mountain forests to open valley floors. Like Barn Owl this species is often seen at night perched on poles, utility lines, and fence posts in rural areas. Its low call carries over great distances.

Northern Pygmy-Owl

(photo by Steve Metz)

Northern Pygmy-Owl - Coniferous and mixed evergreen forests in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Hamilton Range. Also sometimes found in canyon riparian woodlands. This species is most vocal just before dawn. Its call is a single toot repeated with pauses, also a short series of rapid toots. Any unseen pygmy-owl heard during daylight hours should be identified with caution, especially if it is in seemingly atypical habitat (such as chaparral). Birders are easily tricked by Merriam's Chipmunk, which can do a very convincing rendition of its call. Here's a puzzler: why would a rodent imitate and possibly attract a potential predator?

Spotted Owl - Rare and local, preferring dense old growth forests. Very rare in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and more easily found in forests of Marin County and wooded canyons of Monterey County. Also resident at middle elevations on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada.

Long-eared Owl - Rare, or at least uncommon, resident in wooded areas of the Santa Cruz Mountains and Hamilton Range. This one is more often seen at day roosts. In winter check isolated groves of trees at lower elevations. It's typical call is a single low hoot, repeated at intervals.

Spotted Owl

(photo by John Mariani)

Short-eared Owl - Rare and declining. In our area it is mainly a winter bird, to be looked  for in fields and marshes on the margins of San Francisco Bay. Most often seen at dusk flying over open country or perched upon posts. High tides sometimes produce midday sightings. Particularly good northern California locales for this species include Grizzly Island Wildlife Area in Solano County and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge in Siskiyou County.

Northern Saw-whet Owl - Fairly common in dense coniferous & mixed evergreen forests, especially where a closed canopy casts deep shade. Easiest to find from December through March, when they are most vocal (and when wintering birds probably augment the local population). Try roads and parks in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The usual call is a rapid monotonous series of toots, often preceded by a blood-curdling shriek. Although tiny, they are fiercely territorial, and might even take a flying swipe at you if you get too close with a tape recorder. Can be very hard to spot amid thick foliage.

     The key to finding owls at night is listening and knowing what to listen for. There are several albums of bird songs that include owls. You can purchase them as cassettes or CDs from Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, Los Angeles Audubon Society, ABA Sales, and other retail sources.

Northern Saw-whet Owl

(photo by Steve Metz)

     For use in the field, I  suggest making a tape on which each owl's call is repeated several times (without narration) so that it can be played back without constant rewinding. Such recorded calls can be used to draw a vocal response from actual birds in the wild. Cheap wooden whistles can also be used to imitate owls, and I've found them to be quite effective with the smaller species.

 
     There are divergent opinions on the use of taped calls to lure in owls. Some disapprove of the practice because it upsets the birds and might disrupt their breeding ecology. Oddly, however, some of the most ardent critics of tape use are birders who are talented at mimicking owl calls. A popular tour leader once told me that he disapproved of tapes because they were "inorganic." Such philosophical objections aside, I don't see any serious objection to limited and judicious use of tapes. But the overuse of tapes is a problem in areas that are heavily visited by birders. For this reason I have not included directions to specific sites. Most of the above species can be found in proper habitat at more locations than I could possibly list here. Identifying particular places would unnecessarily stress the few individual birds that inhabit those sites.

Northern Pygmy Owl

(photo by Steve Metz)

     Before you head for the woods some practical advise is in order. Dress warmly, but avoid wearing material that rustles loudly. Bring a powerful flashlight, but while owling it is a good idea to keep flashlight use to a (safe) minimum. Admittedly it can be creepy in the forest at night; things do go bump in the dark, and even the owls can make some scary sounds. But paradoxically the less you use your flashlight the more you will see. Let your eyes adjust to the dim light of the moon and stars. As you stand in the dark listening, watch the open spaces between trees; you just might spot an owl in flight.

 
     Be patient; even when an owl is present it might take several minutes to get a response. Species other than the one you have targeted may also respond to your efforts (for example, I've had Northern Saw-whet Owl reply to Western Screech-Owl calls, and vice versa). When you do hear an owl, either wait for it to come closer to you, or approach it as quietly as possible. Only when you have a definite idea of where it is perched should you attempt to locate it with your flashlight beam; wildly searching trees is not only a waste of time, it also tends to scare off the bird(s).

     Figuring out where an owl is can be tricky, even when it is loudly informing you of its whereabouts. Western Screech-Owls, Flammulated Owls, and other small species actually have surprisingly soft voices, often sounding farther away than they really are. Estimate your distance from the bird, and then look for it at about half the expected distance.

 
     In my experience the best hours for owling are those just before dawn and in the late evening (after 10 p.m.). Are moonlit nights better than moonless nights for owling? I dunno. Opinion varies. Some nights owls seem to be everywhere, other nights are all too quiet. All I can say is good luck!