19 Owls in Texas: Identification Guide
Texas has 19 owl species on its official state checklist, but only some are seen regularly. Great Horned Owls, Eastern Screech-Owls, Barred Owls, and American Barn Owls live across large parts of the state.
Others occupy narrow areas, migrate through Texas, or appear only as accidental visitors.
This guide separates the owls you can realistically look for from species known through only a small number of records.
1. Barn Owl
Scientific name: Tyto furcata
Texas status: Year-round resident
Easy ID: White heart-shaped face, pale body, long legs, and dark eyes
Sound: Long, harsh scream rather than a hoot
The American Barn Owl has a white or pale heart-shaped face surrounded by a darker border. Its back and wings are golden-brown and gray, while the underparts range from white to buff with scattered dark spots.
This owl hunts over fields, marshes, ranches, roadside grass, and other open ground. It often nests in barns, church towers, silos, hollow trees, and abandoned buildings.
American Barn Owls eat mice, rats, voles, and other small animals. Their soft feathers help them approach prey with little sound.
They are found across Texas, though their nocturnal habits make them easier to hear than see. Their scream can be startling because it sounds nothing like a familiar owl hoot. Cornell Lab’s American Barn Owl call guide
2. Great Horned Owl
Scientific name: Bubo virginianus
Texas status: Common year-round resident
Easy ID: Large body, long ear tufts, yellow eyes, and white throat patch
Sound: Series of deep, low hoots
The Great Horned Owl is the largest regularly seen owl in Texas. Its heavy body, broad wings, and prominent ear tufts create the familiar owl shape seen in books and artwork.
Plumage varies from gray-brown to warm brown. The chest has dark bars, while the belly has finer horizontal lines. A white throat patch becomes more visible when the bird calls.
Great Horned Owls live in forests, deserts, city parks, ranches, wetlands, and agricultural areas. They sometimes nest in large city trees if food and suitable nesting sites are available.
They do not build a typical nest. A pair may take over an old hawk or crow nest, use a cliff ledge, or nest on a building. Their prey includes rabbits, rodents, birds, reptiles, and skunks.
3. Snowy Owl
Scientific name: Bubo scandiacus
Texas status: Accidental winter visitor
Easy ID: Large white owl with yellow eyes
Sound: Low croaks, whistles, and hoarse calls
Snowy Owls breed in the Arctic and normally spend winter far north of Texas. During occasional southward movements, individual birds may reach the Panhandle or northern parts of the state.
Adult males can appear nearly white. Females and young birds have heavier black or dark brown bars across the body and wings. All are large, round-headed owls without visible ear tufts.
Snowy Owls favor open ground resembling their tundra habitat. Possible locations include airports, plowed fields, lake shores, grasslands, and broad rooftops.
This is not a species Texas birders should expect every winter. Any reported Snowy Owl should be observed from a distance because rare visitors often draw large crowds.
4. Northern Pygmy-Owl
Scientific name: Glaucidium gnoma
Texas status: Accidental visitor
Easy ID: Tiny round-headed owl with yellow eyes and false eye spots behind the head
Sound: Repeated single toots
Northern Pygmy-Owls are small forest owls that often hunt during daylight. Their brown bodies have white spots on the head and back, while the pale underparts have dark vertical streaks.
The back of the head carries two dark patches resembling eyes. These false eyes may discourage small birds from approaching too closely from behind.
The species is listed on the official Texas checklist, but it is an accidental visitor rather than an established Texas resident. Records are associated with the mountain regions of far West Texas.
Do not assume every small daytime owl is a Northern Pygmy-Owl. Elf Owls and Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls have different ranges and markings, while young screech-owls may also cause confusion.
5. Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
Scientific name: Glaucidium brasilianum
Texas status: Rare and local resident
Easy ID: Small rusty-brown owl with a long barred tail and false eyespots
Sound: Repeated hollow whistles
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls once occupied a wider area of South Texas. They are now limited mainly to small parts of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, where they live in thorn forest and dense brush.
Adults have rusty-brown heads and backs covered with small pale spots. The underparts are white with reddish-brown streaks. Their relatively long tails have dark bars.
Like other pygmy-owls, this species can be active during the day. Small birds may gather around and scold one when they discover it.
Habitat loss has reduced the owl’s available nesting and hunting areas. Texas lists the Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl as threatened. Texas Parks and Wildlife listed birds
6. Burrowing Owl
Scientific name: Athene cunicularia
Texas status: Local resident and winter visitor
Easy ID: Small ground-dwelling owl with long legs and yellow eyes
Sound: Soft cooing notes, rattles, and alarm calls
Burrowing Owls spend much of their time on or near the ground. Their long legs, flat-headed appearance, and daytime activity separate them from most Texas owls.
They live in short grasslands, prairie-dog colonies, ranches, vacant lots, and open desert. Instead of nesting in trees, they use burrows dug by prairie dogs and other mammals. They may also occupy artificial burrows.
Texas populations are concentrated mainly in the Panhandle and Trans-Pecos, with additional winter sightings elsewhere. Some birds remain near breeding areas throughout the year.
Look for them standing near a burrow entrance or perched on a fence post. They often bob their bodies when nervous.
7. Western Screech Owl
The Western Screech Owl is rarely seen but often heard in the western parts of Texas. It prefers wooded canyons and deserts, calling out with a soft, rhythmic hoot. Slightly larger than the Eastern Screech Owl, it blends well with bark and hides in tree cavities during the day. At night, it hunts insects, lizards, and small rodents with sharp precision.
- Scientific Name: Megascops kennicottii
- Lifespan: 10–13 years
- Size: 7.5–10 inches
- Weight: 4–8 oz
- Wingspan: 20–24 inches
Here are the next 5 owls found in Texas, with 70–80 word introductions and full identification details:
8. Barred Owl
Scientific name: Strix varia
Texas status: Common year-round resident
Easy ID: Large round-headed owl with dark eyes and a barred chest
Sound: “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?”
Barred Owls live mainly in Central and East Texas, especially in mature woods near rivers, lakes, swamps, and bottomland forest.
Their heads are rounded without visible ear tufts. The upper chest has horizontal brown bars, while the lower belly carries vertical streaks. The dark eyes distinguish them from yellow-eyed Great Horned Owls.
These owls eat rodents, birds, frogs, crayfish, snakes, and other small animals. They may hunt from a low perch along a wooded creek or wetland edge.
The familiar call carries a long distance through forest. Pairs may also produce cackles, barks, and excited duets. Cornell Lab’s Barred Owl sound guide
9. Elf Owl
Scientific name: Micrathene whitneyi
Texas status: Local spring and summer breeder
Easy ID: Tiny owl with yellow eyes, pale eyebrows, and no ear tufts
Sound: High-pitched yelps, whistles, and chuckling notes
At about six inches long, the Elf Owl is North America’s smallest owl. It has a short tail, a round head, yellow eyes, and white markings above the eyes that form a V-shaped pattern. Texas Parks and Wildlife Elf Owl profile
Elf Owls arrive in Texas during spring and leave during fall. They occur locally in South and West Texas, including desert, thorn scrub, wooded canyons, and mountain habitat.
A pair usually nests inside an old woodpecker hole. In desert areas, cavities in large cacti may also be used where suitable plants occur.
Most of their food consists of insects and other small invertebrates. Scorpions, beetles, moths, crickets, and spiders may all be taken.
10. Long-eared Owl
Scientific name: Asio otus
Texas status: Uncommon winter visitor
Easy ID: Slender owl with long ear tufts, orange facial discs, and yellow eyes
Sound: Low single hoots and soft squeals
Long-eared Owls are secretive winter visitors in Texas. They hide during the day inside dense trees, where their narrow bodies and streaked feathers resemble broken branches.
The long feather tufts are often raised, though they are not the owl’s ears. Its face has warm orange or rusty coloring surrounding yellow eyes.
At night, Long-eared Owls hunt over grasslands, farm fields, shrubland, and desert. They mainly eat mice and voles.
Several birds may share the same daytime roost. Look for pellets and white droppings beneath dense junipers, cedars, or shelterbelts, but avoid walking directly beneath a roost or flushing the birds.
11. Short-eared Owl
Scientific name: Asio flammeus
Texas status: Winter visitor
Easy ID: Long-winged owl flying low over open fields
Sound: Barking calls and low hoots
Short-eared Owls arrive in Texas during fall and remain through winter. They favor open grasslands, marshes, prairies, coastal fields, agricultural land, and lightly vegetated areas.
Unlike many owls, they often hunt before sunset or shortly after sunrise. Their flight is low and buoyant, with deep wingbeats mixed with glides.
The plumage is brown and buff with heavy streaking. The small ear tufts are difficult to see. Dark patches near the wrists are noticeable on the pale underwings.
These owls hunt rodents by flying back and forth over open ground. Numbers can change greatly from one winter to the next as prey availability shifts.
12. Flammulated Owl
Scientific name: Psiloscops flammeolus
Texas status: Migrant and local summer breeder
Easy ID: Tiny gray-brown owl with dark eyes and short ear tufts
Sound: Low, single hoot repeated every few seconds
Flammulated Owls are small enough to fit comfortably in one hand. Their gray, brown, and rusty markings blend with tree bark, making a resting bird difficult to notice.
Unlike most small North American owls, the Flammulated Owl has dark eyes. Eastern and Western Screech-Owls have yellow eyes.
In Texas, this species is tied mainly to mountain forests in the western part of the state. It may breed locally in mature pine and mixed-conifer woodland. Migrants can occur outside the breeding range, but they are rarely detected.
Flammulated Owls eat moths, beetles, crickets, and other insects. Listening for the male’s soft, low hoot at night is usually more productive than searching the trees.
13. Western Screech Owl
Scientific name: Megascops kennicottii
Texas status: Year-round resident
Easy ID: Small owl with yellow eyes, ear tufts, and a gray patterned face
Sound: Series of short whistles that speeds up like a bouncing ball
Western Screech-Owls live mainly in the western half of Texas. They occupy wooded canyons, desert washes, river corridors, oak-juniper woodland, and neighborhoods with mature trees.
Their feathers are mostly gray or gray-brown with dark streaks. Small ear tufts may be raised or held flat. The eyes are bright yellow.
This species looks much like the Eastern Screech-Owl. Range and voice are often the best ways to separate them. A Western Screech-Owl gives a row of whistled notes that gradually speeds up. Cornell Lab’s Western Screech-Owl sound guide
Western Screech-Owls eat insects, rodents, small birds, lizards, and other prey. They nest inside natural tree holes and abandoned woodpecker cavities.
14. Eastern Screech-Owl
Scientific name: Megascops asio
Texas status: Common year-round resident
Easy ID: Small, stocky owl with ear tufts and yellow eyes
Sound: Descending whinny or a steady trembling trill
Eastern Screech-Owls occur mainly across Central and East Texas. They live in woods, parks, orchards, wooded suburbs, and yards containing mature trees.
Two color forms occur. Gray birds are most common, but some individuals are rusty red. Both have dark streaking, yellow eyes, and small feather tufts above the head.
Despite the name, their usual sounds are whistles and trills rather than loud screeches. The descending whinny is one of the easiest calls to recognize.
These owls hide inside tree cavities during the day. They may use properly sized nest boxes when natural holes are scarce. Their diet includes insects, mice, small snakes, frogs, and birds.
Eastern vs Western Screech-Owl
| Feature | Eastern Screech-Owl | Western Screech-Owl |
| Main Texas range | Central and East Texas | West Texas |
| Common call | Descending whinny or long trill | Accelerating series of whistles |
| Bill color | Usually pale greenish | Usually dark gray or black |
| Red form | Occurs | Extremely unusual |
| Facial pattern | Dark border around pale facial discs | Less strongly bordered face |
Range can overlap in parts of Texas. When appearance is inconclusive, the call provides better evidence than plumage alone.
15. Northern Saw-whet Owl
Scientific name: Aegolius acadicus
Texas status: Rare and irregular winter visitor
Easy ID: Tiny round-headed owl with yellow eyes and a white V between the eyes
Sound: Repeated high “toot” notes
Northern Saw-whet Owls are small woodland owls with oversized heads and no visible ear tufts. Adults have brown upperparts covered with white spots and pale underparts marked by reddish streaks.
Young birds look quite different. They have dark brown heads and backs with warm cinnamon underparts.
Texas lies south of the species’ main range. Most sightings occur during winter, especially in northern or western areas, but the owl is rare and easily overlooked.
During the day, it may sit inside dense evergreen foliage. Its small size and still posture make it difficult to find even when nearby.
16. Northern Pygmy Owl
Scientific name: Glaucidium gnoma
Texas status: Accidental visitor
Easy ID: Tiny round-headed owl with yellow eyes and false eye spots behind the head
Sound: Repeated single toots
Northern Pygmy-Owls are small forest owls that often hunt during daylight. Their brown bodies have white spots on the head and back, while the pale underparts have dark vertical streaks.
The back of the head carries two dark patches resembling eyes. These false eyes may discourage small birds from approaching too closely from behind.
The species is listed on the official Texas checklist, but it is an accidental visitor rather than an established Texas resident. Records are associated with the mountain regions of far West Texas.
Do not assume every small daytime owl is a Northern Pygmy-Owl. Elf Owls and Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls have different ranges and markings, while young screech-owls may also cause confusion.
17. Mottled Owl
Scientific name: Strix virgata
Texas status: Accidental visitor
Easy ID: Medium-sized brown owl with dark eyes and heavily marked underparts
Sound: Low hoots followed by shorter notes
Mottled Owls live from Mexico through parts of Central and South America. They are not regular residents of Texas, but accepted records place the species on the official state checklist.
This owl has a rounded head without ear tufts, dark eyes, brown upperparts, and a pale face bordered by darker feathers. The underparts are marked with brown streaks and bars.
Texas records are associated with the Lower Rio Grande Valley, where tropical birds occasionally cross north of their usual range.
A possible Mottled Owl needs clear photographs or sound recordings. Barred Owls and young Great Horned Owls should be ruled out before identification.
18. Stygian Owl
Scientific name: Asio stygius
Texas status: Accidental visitor
Easy ID: Large dark owl with long ear tufts and orange-yellow eyes
Sound: Deep hoots and short barking notes
The Stygian Owl is a dark tropical species found mainly in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. It has reached Texas only as an accidental visitor.
Its plumage is dark brown or blackish with pale markings. Long ear tufts, a dark facial disc, and orange-yellow eyes give it a striking appearance. A pale patch may show on the forehead.
Accepted Texas records have come from the southern part of the state. The bird should not be described as a regular resident or expected species.
Great Horned and Long-eared Owls are possible sources of confusion. Any claimed Stygian Owl in Texas would need strong photographic or audio evidence.
19. Mexican Spotted Owl
Scientific name: Strix occidentalis
Texas form: Mexican Spotted Owl, S. o. lucida
Texas status: Rare local resident; threatened
Easy ID: Dark eyes, rounded head, and white spots across a brown body
Sound: Series of deep hoots with a stronger final note
The Mexican Spotted Owl is the form of Spotted Owl found in Texas. It should not be counted as a separate species from Spotted Owl.
In Texas, these owls live in a few mountain ranges in the Trans-Pecos. They favor cool, wooded canyons and mature forests at higher elevations, often between about 5,000 and 7,000 feet.
The owl has dark eyes, a pale facial disc, and white spots across its brown head, back, and underparts. It lacks the yellow eyes and ear tufts of a Great Horned Owl.
Mexican Spotted Owls are listed as threatened at both state and federal levels. Habitat disturbance, fire, and changes to older forest stands can affect nesting areas. Texas Parks and Wildlife Mexican Spotted Owl profile
Spotted Owl vs Barred Owl
| Feature | Spotted Owl | Barred Owl |
| Texas range | Far West Texas mountains | Central and East Texas |
| Underparts | White spots on brown | Horizontal chest bars and vertical belly streaks |
| Main habitat | Mountain forest and wooded canyon | Moist forest, swamp, and river woodland |
| Call | Four-note hooting patterns | “Who cooks for you?” |
| Texas status | Rare and threatened | Common in suitable eastern habitat |
Most Common Owls in Texas
The owls most Texas residents are likely to encounter are:
- Great Horned Owl
- Eastern Screech-Owl
- American Barn Owl
- Barred Owl
- Burrowing Owl in suitable western areas
- Western Screech-Owl in West Texas
Elf Owls, Flammulated Owls, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls, and Spotted Owls have much smaller ranges. Snowy, Northern Pygmy, Mottled, and Stygian Owls are accidental visitors.
Texas Owls by Region
East Texas
Barred Owls and Eastern Screech-Owls are common in wooded areas. Great Horned Owls and American Barn Owls also occur, while Short-eared Owls may appear in open country during winter.
Central Texas
Great Horned Owls and Eastern Screech-Owls are widespread. American Barn Owls hunt over farms and grassland. Barred Owls occur near wooded rivers and wetter forest.
South Texas
American Barn Owls, Great Horned Owls, and Eastern Screech-Owls are regular. The Lower Rio Grande Valley provides the best Texas habitat for Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls. Mottled and Stygian Owls are accidental visitors.
West Texas
Western Screech-Owls, Great Horned Owls, Burrowing Owls, and American Barn Owls can be found in suitable habitat. Mountain forests may hold Elf, Flammulated, and Mexican Spotted Owls.
Texas Panhandle
Great Horned, American Barn, and Burrowing Owls are among the more likely species. Short-eared Owls arrive during winter. Snowy Owls have appeared during rare southward movements.
How to Identify a Texas Owl
Begin with size, head shape, eye color, habitat, and voice.
| Field mark | Possible owl |
| White heart-shaped face | American Barn Owl |
| Large body with long ear tufts | Great Horned Owl |
| Small owl with ear tufts | Eastern or Western Screech-Owl |
| Round head and dark eyes in eastern forest | Barred Owl |
| Tiny owl without ear tufts | Elf Owl |
| Small owl standing on the ground | Burrowing Owl |
| Small rusty owl with a long barred tail | Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl |
| Brown owl flying low over grassland | Short-eared Owl |
| Dark-eyed spotted owl in West Texas mountains | Mexican Spotted Owl |
| Large white owl in winter | Snowy Owl |
Calls are often more dependable than a brief nighttime view. Record the sound if possible, note the time and habitat, and compare the full pattern rather than one isolated note.
How to Find Owls Without Disturbing Them
Listen from a public road, trail, campsite, or yard after sunset. Many owls begin calling around dusk, though activity may continue through the night.
Avoid repeatedly playing recorded calls. Playback can draw an owl away from hunting, resting, or caring for young. It is especially unsuitable near known nests or threatened species.
Never approach a nest cavity, remove branches for a clearer photograph, or use bright lights for long periods. If an owl changes position, stops feeding, stares continuously, or flies away, you are too close.
FAQs
What is the most common owl in Texas?
The Great Horned Owl is one of the most widespread Texas owls. It lives across the state in cities, forests, deserts, ranches, and wetlands. Eastern Screech-Owls are also common across Central and East Texas.
What is the largest owl in Texas?
The Great Horned Owl is the largest owl regularly found across Texas. A Snowy Owl can be similar in size but is only an accidental winter visitor.
What is the smallest owl in Texas?
The Elf Owl is the smallest owl in Texas and North America. Adults measure about six inches from head to tail.
Are Barn Owls common in Texas?
American Barn Owls occur throughout Texas, though they are not always easy to see. They hunt after dark over fields, farms, marshes, and roadside grass.
Are Snowy Owls found in Texas?
Snowy Owls have reached Texas, but sightings are rare and irregular. They are most likely during winter in the Panhandle or northern part of the state.
Are Spotted Owls found in Texas?
Yes. The Mexican Spotted Owl, a subspecies of Spotted Owl, lives in limited mountain habitat in far West Texas. It is rare and legally protected.
Is the Mexican Spotted Owl a separate species?
No. Mexican Spotted Owl is one of the recognized subspecies of Spotted Owl. It should not be counted as an additional owl species in a Texas list.
Are Mottled Owls found in Texas?
Mottled Owl is on the official Texas checklist because accepted records exist, but it is an accidental visitor from farther south. It is not an established Texas resident.
Which Texas owl sounds like “who cooks for you”?
The Barred Owl gives the well-known call commonly written as “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?” It is heard mainly in wooded parts of Central and East Texas.
Which Texas owl screams at night?
An American Barn Owl produces a long, harsh scream. Eastern Screech-Owls can make sharp cries, but their usual calls are whistles, whinnies, and trills.
Do owls live in Texas cities?
Yes. Great Horned Owls and Eastern Screech-Owls frequently live in parks, suburbs, campuses, and wooded neighborhoods. American Barn Owls may occupy buildings and open land near towns.
