Common Owl Species
You’ve probably heard the loud, musical hoots of an owl before! Owls are known for their big, wise eyes and their hooked beaks. But did you know there are over 200 different species of owls? Owls are found almost everywhere on Earth, except for the polar ice caps. Fun fact: a group of owls is called a parliament! Let’s take a look at different owl species.
How many species of Owls are there?
There are 254 species of Owls! These are bunched together into two families. Sadly, 5 of these species are already extinct. 20 species from the family Tytonidae. These are normally known as barn owls. The other 234 species of Owls form the family Strigidae. These are also known as true owls or typical owls.
The main difference between true owls and barn owls is how they look. Barn owls have heart-shaped faces, dark eyes, and no ear tufts. On the other hand, true owls have round faces, yellow or orange eyes, and generally have ear tufts.
Largest Owl Species
The largest living species of Owls is Bubo Blakiston. They are commonly called Blakiston’s Fish Owls, after the English explorer who first described them. They are native to China, Japan, Russia, and north-eastern Asia.
Blakiston’s Fish Owls have a wingspan of up to 6.5 feet, and weigh up to 9 pounds! They are also one of the rarest species of owls. They are part of the Strigidae family and their diet mainly consists of fish. They are found in forests near rivers and streams.
Smallest Owl Species
The smallest species of Owls is Micrathene whitneyi, also known as the Elf Owl. It is a small, greyish-brown owl about the size of a sparrow. They are found in woodlands and deserts in Southwestern United States, Mexico, and the Californian peninsula.
The Elf Owl is also the world’s lightest owl. It weighs only around 1.4 ounces, and has a wingspan of just 10 inches! They live in woodpecker holes and natural cavities in trees. Their diet majorly contains moths, crickets, scorpions, and other bugs.
20 Most Common Types of Owl Species
Barn Owl
The Common Barn Owl is one of the most common bird species. They are present everywhere around the world, except for deserts, poles, and some Pacific Islands. There are about 28 subspecies.
This owl has a heart-shaped pale white face and a square-shaped tail. It lives in rural areas like farmlands and woodlands. The barn owl has a wingspan of 13 to 15 inches and weighs roughly 9 ounces. It eats small mammals, reptiles, fish, insects, and smaller birds.
Snowy Owl
The Snowy Owl is also known as the white owl and the polar owl. Harry’s pet owl Hedwig in the Harry Potter movies is a Snowy Owl! It is a large, white owl commonly found in the Arctic regions.
It has mostly white feathers, to help it hide effectively in snowy regions. While most owls hunt at night and sleep during the day, the Snowy Owl is often active during the daytime as well. They usually hunt rodents, especially lemmings.
Elf Owl
The Elf Owl is the smallest and lightest species of Owls. It has pale yellow eyes with white eyebrows and a gray beak. They have fairly long legs for their size. There are 4 subspecies of the Elf Owl. They are most active during dusk and just before dawn, and like to hunt insects and scorpions.
Long-Eared Owl
The Long-Eared Owl is also called the cat owl. They are found in many areas in Europe and North America. They prefer to live in nests made by other birds in dense forests but hunt over open ground.
The Long-Eared Owl is medium-sized, slim, and long-winged. They are named for their prominent ear tufts. They have a wingspan of about 3 feet. They mainly feed on, small rodents, especially voles.
Spectacled Owl
The Spectacled Owl is a large tropical owl, found in forests throughout Central and South America. It has six subspecies. They feed on a variety of mammals including smaller monkeys! They have a blackish-brown head and upper body. They’re so-called because of white markings around their eyes, which makes it seem like they’re wearing a pair of glasses!
Oriental Bay Owl
The Oriental Bay Owl is a small barn owl. It is found in Southeast Asia and parts of India. They are generally seen in woodlands, plantations and mangrove swamps. They feed on small rodents, snakes, frogs, lizards, bats, and insects. They also make a variety of calls apart from hoots, like screams and high-pitched whistles!
Eastern Screech Owl
The Eastern Screech Owl is a small owl found in eastern North America. They have a large, round head with striking ear tufts, yellow eyes and a yellow beak. They are found in woodlands and parklands, sometimes even in the suburbs! Funnily, despite their name, these owls don’t actually screech! Instead, they make trembling and purring sounds.
Eurasian Eagle Owl
The Eurasian Eagle Owl is one of the largest owls, with wingspans up to 6 feet! As per its name, it is found in Eurasia. It has distinctly blackish ear tufts. They generally live in mountainous regions and prey on small mammals, reptiles, and birds. Tame Eagle Owls are also used for pest control!
Northern Hawk Owl
Northern Hawk Owls are medium-sized true owls, found in North America and Central Asia. It is one of the few species which hunts only during the day! They have dark brown wings with off-white spots and white stomachs. They also have long tails. They’re so-called because they look and fly like hawks!
Burrowing Owl
The Burrowing Owl is a small owl found in open areas in North and South America. They’re active during the day, but hunt during nighttime. They have long legs to help them run as well as fly while hunting. They’re so-called because they nest in burrows made by other animals, such as prairie dogs!
Great Horned Owl
The Great Horned Owl is also known as the tiger owl. It is a large true owl found in the Americas. Its brown colored feathers with markings and spots allow it to hide effectively among trees. It’s named for its prominent horn-like ear tufts, called plumicorns.
Spotted Owl
Spotted Owls are found in old forests of western North America. They make nests in tree hollows and cracked rocks. They feed on small mammals and birds. Their feathers are generally shades of brown with white spots all over.
Great Gray Owl
The Great Gray Owl is the largest species of owl by length, growing up to 33 inches! It is found across the Northern Hemisphere. They have a gray face and upper body, but no ear tufts. They also have a white collar. They rely fully on small rodents for food.
Tawny Owl
The Tawny Owl is found in woodlands in Eurasia and North Africa. Its upper feathers are either brown or gray, and it generally nests in tree holes. They mainly hunt rodents by swallowing them whole. These owls are known best for their loud hoots!
Northern Pygmy Owl
Northern Pygmies are small owls found in forests and wetlands in western North America. They have a round, white-spotted head and dark wings and tails. They have two black spots behind their heads, which look like eyes! They feed on small mammals and insects.
Striped Owl
The Striped Owl is native to Central and South America. It has large ear tufts, short and round wings, and cinnamon feathers. Its head, back, wings and tail are brown with black stripes. They also have a pure white face with a black border.
Western Screech Owl
Western Screech Owls are small owls native to North and Central America. They look similar to Eastern Screech Owls, with yellow eyes and beaks. They are best identified from their call, which sounds like a series of short whistles. They also make a high pitched screech. They live in holes in trees or cacti opened by woodpeckers.
Spotted Wood Owl
Spotted Wood Owls are an earless species of owls. They have a chocolatey head with an orangish face and coffee-colored feathers. Their legs and toes are also feathered. They mainly feed on mice and rats. They are mainly found on islands around Borneo.
Owl Species List
| Common Name | Species Name |
| Greater sooty owl | Tyto tenebricosa |
| Lesser sooty owl | Tyto multipunctata |
| Minahassa masked owl | Tyto inexspectata |
| Taliabu masked owl | Tyto nigrobrunnea |
| Moluccan masked owl | Tyto sororcula |
| Manus masked owl | Tyto manusi |
| Golden masked owl | Tyto aurantia |
| Australian masked owl | Tyto novaehollandiae |
| Sulawesi masked owl | Tyto rosenbergii |
| Red owl | Tyto soumagnei |
| Western barn owl | Tyto alba |
| American barn owl | Tyto furcata |
| Eastern barn owl | Tyto javanica |
| Andaman masked owl | Tyto deroepstorffi |
| Ashy-faced owl | Tyto glaucops |
| African grass owl | Tyto capensis |
| Eastern grass owl | Tyto longimembris |
| Congo bay owl | Phodilus prigoginei |
| Oriental bay owl | Phodilus badius |
| Sri Lanka bay owl | Phodilus assimilis |
| Papuan hawk-owl | Uroglaux dimorpha |
| Laughing owl (X) | Ninox albifacies |
| Rufous owl | Ninox rufa |
| Powerful owl | Ninox strenua |
| Barking owl | Ninox connivens |
| Sumba boobook | Ninox rudolfi |
| Australian boobook | Ninox boobook |
| Rote boobook | Ninox rotiensis |
| Timor boobook | Ninox fusca |
| Alor boobook | Ninox plesseni |
| Morepork | Ninox novaeseelandiae |
| Northern boobook | Ninox japonica |
| Brown hawk-owl | Ninox scutulata |
| Hume’s hawk-owl | Ninox obscura |
| Chocolate boobook | Ninox randi |
| Andaman hawk-owl | Ninox affinis |
| Luzon hawk-owl | Ninox philippensis |
| Mindanao hawk-owl | Ninox spilocephala |
| Camiguin hawk-owl | Ninox leventisi |
| Sulu hawk-owl | Ninox reyi |
| Cebu hawk-owl | Ninox rumseyi |
| Romblon hawk-owl | Ninox spilonotus |
| Mindoro hawk-owl | Ninox mindorensis |
| Little Sumba hawk-owl | Ninox sumbaensis |
| Togian boobook | Ninox burhani |
| Ochre-bellied boobook | Ninox ochracea |
| Cinnabar boobook | Ninox ios |
| Halmahera boobook | Ninox hypogramma |
| Buru boobook | Ninox hantu |
| Seram boobook | Ninox squamipila |
| Tanimbar boobook | Ninox forbesi |
| Christmas boobook | Ninox natalis |
| Manus boobook | Ninox meeki |
| Papuan boobook | Ninox theomacha |
| Speckled boobook | Ninox punctulata |
| New Britain boobook | Ninox odiosa |
| New Ireland boobook | Ninox variegata |
| Bare-legged owl | Margarobyas lawrencii |
| Collared owlet | Taenioptynx brodiei |
| Sunda owlet | Taenioptynx sylvaticus |
| Elf owl | Micrathene whitneyi |
| Long-whiskered owlet | Xenoglaux loweryi |
| Boreal owl | Aegolius funereus |
| Northern saw-whet owl | Aegolius acadicus |
| Bermuda saw-whet owl (X) | Aegolius gradyi |
| Unspotted saw-whet owl | Aegolius ridgwayi |
| Buff-fronted owl | Aegolius harrisii |
| Burrowing owl | Athene cunicularia |
| Spotted owlet | Athene brama |
| Little owl | Athene noctua |
| White-browed owl | Athene superciliaris |
| Forest owlet | Athene blewitti |
| West Solomons owl | Athene jacquinoti |
| Guadalcanal owl | Athene granti |
| Malaita owl | Athene malaitae |
| Makira owl | Athene roseoaxillaris |
| Northern hawk-owl | Surnia ulula |
| Eurasian pygmy owl | Glaucidium passerinum |
| Pearl-spotted owlet | Glaucidium perlatum |
| Red-chested owlet | Glaucidium tephronotum |
| Sjöstedt’s barred owlet | Glaucidium sjostedti |
| Asian barred owlet | Glaucidium cuculoides |
| Javan owlet | Glaucidium castanopterum |
| Jungle owlet | Glaucidium radiatum |
| Chestnut-backed owlet | Glaucidium castanotum |
| African barred owlet | Glaucidium capense |
| Albertine owlet | Glaucidium albertinum |
| Northern pygmy owl | Glaucidium californicum |
| Mountain pygmy owl | Glaucidium gnoma |
| Baja pygmy owl | Glaucidium hoskinsii |
| Guatemalan pygmy owl | Glaucidium cobanense |
| Costa Rican pygmy owl | Glaucidium costaricanum |
| Cloud-forest pygmy owl | Glaucidium nubicola |
| Andean pygmy owl | Glaucidium jardinii |
| Yungas pygmy owl | Glaucidium bolivianum |
| Colima pygmy owl | Glaucidium palmarum |
| Tamaulipas pygmy owl | Glaucidium sanchezi |
| Central American pygmy owl | Glaucidium griseiceps |
| Subtropical pygmy owl | Glaucidium parkeri |
| Amazonian pygmy owl | Glaucidium hardyi |
| East Brazilian pygmy owl | Glaucidium minutissimum |
| Pernambuco pygmy owl | Glaucidium mooreorum |
| Ferruginous pygmy owl | Glaucidium brasilianum |
| Pacific pygmy owl | Glaucidium peruanum |
| Austral pygmy owl | Glaucidium nana |
| Cuban pygmy owl | Glaucidium siju |
| Giant scops owl | Otus gurneyi |
| White-fronted scops owl | Otus sagittatus |
| Reddish scops owl | Otus rufescens |
| Serendib scops owl | Otus thilohoffmanni |
| Sandy scops owl | Otus icterorhynchus |
| Sokoke scops owl | Otus ireneae |
| Andaman scops owl | Otus balli |
| Flores scops owl | Otus alfredi |
| Mountain scops owl | Otus spilocephalus |
| Javan scops owl | Otus angelinae |
| Mindanao scops owl | Otus mirus |
| Luzon scops owl | Otus longicornis |
| Mindoro scops owl | Otus mindorensis |
| Sao Tome scops owl | Otus hartlaubi |
| Torotoroka scops owl | Otus madagascariensis |
| Rainforest scops owl | Otus rutilus |
| Mayotte scops owl | Otus mayottensis |
| Karthala scops owl | Otus pauliani |
| Anjouan scops owl | Otus capnodes |
| Moheli scops owl | Otus moheliensis |
| Reunion owl (X) | Otus grucheti |
| Mauritius owl (X) | Otus sauzieri |
| Rodrigues owl (X) | Otus murivorus |
| Pemba scops owl | Otus pembaensis |
| Eurasian scops owl | Otus scops |
| Cyprus scops owl | Otus cyprius |
| Pallid scops owl | Otus brucei |
| Arabian scops owl | Otus pamelae |
| African scops owl | Otus senegalensis |
| Annobon scops owl | Otus feae |
| Socotra scops owl | Otus socotranus |
| Oriental scops owl | Otus sunia |
| Ryukyu scops owl | Otus elegans |
| Moluccan scops owl | Otus magicus |
| Sula scops owl | Otus sulaensis |
| Biak scops owl | Otus beccarii |
| Sulawesi scops owl | Otus manadensis |
| Banggai scops owl | Otus mendeni |
| Siau scops owl | Otus siaoensis |
| Sangihe scops owl | Otus collari |
| Mantanani scops owl | Otus mantananensis |
| Seychelles scops owl | Otus insularis |
| Nicobar scops owl | Otus alius |
| Simeulue scops owl | Otus umbra |
| Enggano scops owl | Otus enganensis |
| Mentawai scops owl | Otus mentawi |
| Rajah scops owl | Otus brookii |
| Indian scops owl | Otus bakkamoena |
| Collared scops owl | Otus lettia |
| Japanese scops owl | Otus semitorques |
| Sunda scops owl | Otus lempiji |
| Philippine scops owl | Otus megalotis |
| Negros scops owl | Otus nigrorum |
| Everett’s scops owl | Otus everetti |
| Palawan scops owl | Otus fuliginosus |
| Wallace’s scops owl | Otus silvicola |
| Rinjani scops owl | Otus jolandae |
| Palau owl | Otus podarginus |
| Northern white-faced owl | Ptilopsis leucotis |
| Southern white-faced owl | Ptilopsis granti |
| Jamaican owl | Asio grammicus |
| Striped owl | Asio clamator |
| Long-eared owl | Asio otus |
| Abyssinian owl | Asio abyssinicus |
| Madagascar owl | Asio madagascariensis |
| Stygian owl | Asio stygius |
| Short-eared owl | Asio flammeus |
| Marsh owl | Asio capensis |
| Fearful owl | Asio solomonensis |
| Maned owl | Jubula lettii |
| Snowy owl | Bubo scandiacus |
| Great horned owl | Bubo virginianus |
| Lesser horned owl | Bubo magellanicus |
| Eurasian eagle-owl | Bubo bubo |
| Indian eagle-owl | Bubo bengalensis |
| Pharaoh eagle-owl | Bubo ascalaphus |
| Cape eagle-owl | Bubo capensis |
| Arabian eagle-owl | Bubo milesi |
| Greyish eagle-owl | Bubo cinerascens |
| Spotted eagle-owl | Bubo africanus |
| Fraser’s eagle-owl | Bubo poensis |
| Usambara eagle-owl | Bubo vosseleri |
| Verreaux’s eagle-owl | Bubo lacteus |
| Shelley’s eagle-owl | Bubo shelleyi |
| Barred eagle-owl | Bubo sumatranus |
| Spot-bellied eagle-owl | Bubo nipalensis |
| Dusky eagle-owl | Bubo coromandus |
| Akun eagle-owl | Bubo leucostictus |
| Philippine eagle-owl | Bubo philippensis |
| Blakiston’s fish owl | Bubo blakistoni |
| Pel’s fishing owl | Scotopelia peli |
| Rufous fishing owl | Scotopelia ussheri |
| Vermiculated fishing owl | Scotopelia bouvieri |
| Brown fish owl | Ketupa zeylonensis |
| Tawny fish owl | Ketupa flavipes |
| Buffy fish owl | Ketupa ketupu |
| Flammulated owl | Psiloscops flammeolus |
| Puerto Rican owl | Gymnasio nudipes |
| Whiskered screech owl | Megascops trichopsis |
| Bare-shanked screech owl | Megascops clarkii |
| White-throated screech owl | Megascops albogularis |
| Tropical screech owl | Megascops choliba |
| Bearded screech owl | Megascops barbarus |
| Pacific screech owl | Megascops cooperi |
| Western screech owl | Megascops kennicottii |
| Eastern screech owl | Megascops asio |
| Balsas screech owl | Megascops seductus |
| Middle American screech owl | Megascops guatemalae |
| Vermiculated screech owl | Megascops vermiculatus |
| Koepcke’s screech owl | Megascops koepckeae |
| Rufescent screech owl | Megascops ingens |
| Cinnamon screech owl | Megascops petersoni |
| Cloud-forest screech owl | Megascops marshalli |
| Yungas screech owl | Megascops hoyi |
| Choco screech owl | Megascops centralis |
| Foothill screech owl | Megascops roraimae |
| Long-tufted screech owl | Megascops sanctaecatarinae |
| Santa Marta screech owl | Megascops gilesi |
| West Peruvian screech owl | Megascops roboratus |
| Tawny-bellied screech owl | Megascops watsonii |
| Black-capped screech owl | Megascops atricapilla |
| Spectacled owl | Pulsatrix perspicillata |
| Tawny-browed owl | Pulsatrix koeniswaldiana |
| Band-bellied owl | Pulsatrix melanota |
| Crested owl | Lophostrix cristata |
| Spotted wood owl | Strix seloputo |
| Mottled wood owl | Strix ocellata |
| Brown wood owl | Strix leptogrammica |
| Tawny owl | Strix aluco |
| Maghreb owl | Strix mauritanica |
| Himalayan owl | Strix nivicolum |
| Desert owl | Strix hadorami |
| Omani owl | Strix butleri |
| Spotted owl | Strix occidentalis |
| Barred owl | Strix varia |
| Cinereous owl | Strix sartorii |
| Fulvous owl | Strix fulvescens |
| Rusty-barred owl | Strix hylophila |
| Chaco owl | Strix chacoensis |
| Rufous-legged owl | Strix rufipes |
| Ural owl | Strix uralensis |
| Pere David’s owl | Strix davidi |
| Great grey owl | Strix nebulosa |
| African wood owl | Strix woodfordii |
| Mottled owl | Strix virgata |
| Black-and-white owl | Strix nigrolineata |
| Black-banded owl | Strix huhula |
| Rufous-banded owl | Strix albitarsis |