Dusk. The sun dips down over the horizon, bringing the first evening chill and hints of darkness. The peepers and frogs start their nightly serenade. The monkeys are howling down in the trees. Wait, what? Monkeys? In North Carolina? Chances are, if you’ve lived in Holly Springs long enough you know what I’m talking about. On a normal spring night, it sounds like a reenactment of Planet of the Apes, leaving us wondering what in the world is going on.
No need to worry. Those strange monkey sounds coming from the trees are from our friendly neighborhood barred owls. There are nineteen owl species living in the United States and the barred owl is one of four calling our state home. Ranging across North Carolina, up and down the east coast and as far west as the Pacific Northwest, the barred owl is most recognized for its charming hoots sounding like ‘who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?’
What you are hearing, especially at this time of year, is the barred owl’s mating calls. Mating activity generally begins around the end of February, with males courting potential females. Actual mating doesn’t start until the end of March and usually stretches through the summer months. Considered one of the more aggressive owl species, barred owls increase their activity during periods of heavy rain.
The closest many of us have gotten to seeing one of these magnificent birds is at the Asheboro Zoo. We hear them in the night, surrounding us like watchful protectors, but their elusive nature prevents most of us from catching a glimpse. If you are lucky enough, like I was, you will stumble upon one of these birds making its pitch to prospective mates.
I was just heading out for my evening walk through a few subdivisions and greenways off Sunset Lake Road when a giant bird flew about five feet over my head. I first thought it was a hawk, after all, we have them everywhere. Turning around in time to see the bird land on a neighbor’s garage, I realized it was one of our elusive owls. If it knew I was there it did not care. The owl launched into the tall pines behind the house and I was again able to see it as it started calling. A second owl flew in a moment later and the potential lovebirds began their ritual. They started bouncing through the trees before heading off across the street and out of sight.
As luck would have it, a second and then a third and a fourth pair could be heard in the woods surrounding me. This was nature at its finest. A casual reminder that though we are the dominant species and continue to build and build, nature blossoms around us. After finishing my little adventure, I decided it was time to dig in a little more about the barred owl and what those sounds meant.
Mating is a complicated ritual, even among birds. The male sits on a branch calling in a loud, boisterous tone—those insane monkey sounds many of us have wondered about. An interested female will swoop in, they go through an awkward greeting every teenager can appreciate before flying off in a spirited chase reminiscent of a date. A little grooming and a quick bite to eat are part of the game.
Adult pairs might mate for life, though that is not dominant in the species. Their clutch size is between one and five eggs. Baby owls are born after a month-long incubation period, followed by another month of nesting. A few weeks later and the juvenile owl is ready to start leaving the nest. Ornithologists suggest the species maintains continued population growth between one and two percent annually.
Largely nocturnal, your best chance of spotting one is at dusk or early morning. Owls are reclusive by nature and blend perfectly with their surroundings. Barred owls prefer living in dense, old forests close to swamps, ponds, and streams. They are the only owl with deep brown eyes instead of the vibrant yellow other owls have. Grey and white with a striped appearance, these birds play an important part in our ecosystem. They have no natural predators except the larger Great Horned Owl. On a clear night you will be able to catch both species sounding off, though barred owls tend to displace if one of their larger cousins is in the area.
The owls are just under two feet tall with a wingspan of almost four feet. Unlike other species, the barred owls do not have tufts on their ears. Females are the larger of the two, presenting a formidable appearance sitting on shade-covered branches or swooping overhead.
Barred owls live approximately twenty years and the oldest recorded evidence of one dates back to over 11,000 years! They are close to the same size as a red-tail hawk and are almost silent when they glide between trees. Barred owls make their nests in the cavities of those massive pines our state is known for. Interestingly, researchers still do not know which owl makes the nest, the male or the female. These owls also tend to occupy human-made nest boxes. There are plenty of online resources to learn how to make one and where to place it.
Living near water expands their diets. Barred owls can be seen feasting on squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks and other small rodents, amphibians, reptiles and small invertebrates found in the water. A particular delicacy for them is crayfish. Their diverse diet allows them to roost in a variety of areas. This is important as their habitat around us continues to shrink as Holly Springs gets bigger.
So the next time you are taking an evening walk with your significant other, the kids, or just the dogs and you hear the forest go crazy with wild sounds, know you’re not about to be jumped by a gang of chimpanzees. It’s just the owls. (Unless you hear a woman screaming, then it’s one of those pesky red foxes, but that’s another story.)
Christian Warren Freed retired from the United States Army in 2011 and made Holly Springs his home in 2012. He is the author of more than 25 science fiction and military fantasy novels, his combat memoirs, a children’s book, and a pair of how-to books. His work has been featured in several local magazines and newspapers.
