Owl Pictures
Screech Owl, Long-earred Owl, Eagle Owl, More

We hope you enjoy our owl pictures below. Owls are all members of the Avian Order Strigiformes. There are two families of Owls worldwide; Tytonidae (Barn Owls) and Strigidae (Typical Owls).

Owls are characterized by excellent night vision, superb hearing and specialized soft feathers, which have evolved to allow them to locate and attack prey silently in total darkness.

Click on thumbnails for larger owl pictures. Please refer to the terms of use.

Long-eared Owl(Asio otus)	Eurasian Eagle Owl(Bubo bubo)	Tawny Owl Chick (Strix aluco)

Northern Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium californicum)*new name	Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio)* new name	Northern Pygmy Owl "Eyes" in back of head

We highly recommend The Complete Book of North American Owls by James Duncun. Each species has its own extensive introduction that explains its hunting techniques, courtship rituals, nesting habits, territorial calls, and specialized traits.

List of seven Owl Genera included in photos:

• Asio
• Athene
• Bubo
• Glaucidium
• Megascops, formerly Otus
• Ptilopsis, formerly Otus
• Strix

There are 19* species of Owls that breed in North America

Tytonidae - Barn Owls that Breed in North America (one species)

Tyto: Barn Owl (Tyto alba)

Strigidae - Typical Owls that Breed in North America (18* species)  

Megascops (formerly Otus):

• Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio)
• Western Screech Owl (Megascops kennicottii)
• Whiskered Screech-Owl (Megascops trichopsis)
• Flammulated Owl (Megascops flammeolus)

Bubo:

• Great-Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
• Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus - formely Nyctea scandiaca)

Surnia: Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula)

Glaucidum: Northern Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium gnoma) *Recent DNA studies suggested that this species be split into two separate species:

• Northern Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium californicum)
• Mountain Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium gnoma)
• Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum)

Micrathene:

Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi)

Athene: Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia formerly Speotyto cunicularia)

Aegolius:

• Northern Saw-Whet Owl (Aegolius acadius)
• Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus)

Asio

• Longeared Owl (Asio otus)
• Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)

Strix:

• Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa)
• Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis)
• Barred Owl (Strix varia)

Check back from time to time... We will be adding information and more owl photos in the future.

Here are some great books about owls with outstanding pictures.

More Bird Photos

All Birds of Prey

Click here to view Audubon's Starr Ranch Sanctuary live Barn Owl cams.