Nocturnal stillness. So quiet you can hear an occasional moan from the sandstone as agents of erosion work their magic. It’s a cold, clear night, and this Dark Sky park is illuminated by the rising moon, the first full moon of February. The one I call Owl Moon.

Normally reserved for the full moon in November or December, my version is to honor the deep hoots that pierce the night, announcing the presence of the great horned owl.

Calling to its mate or perhaps proclaiming its territory to others, the great horned rules the nighttime. Named after its large ear tufts, the great horned is a commonly encountered owl in Canyon Country and a year-round resident.

Early season nesters, these owls take over abandoned hawk or raven nests; sometimes they find a suitable alcove and lay their eggs inside the protective confines. These, like most other owls, don’t build their own nests but use what they commandeer.

When the pair of adults are dueting, calling back and forth, you can identify the male by the lower pitch to his calls. Females, have smaller voice boxes; hence, their higher-pitched call. The classic hoo-h’HOO-hoo-hoo call is represented by the mnemonic “Who’s Awake? Me, too.” Sometimes, the calls will be fragments of this phrase or a rapid series of hoos that followed by the classic call. At times, the adult female gives a high-pitched raspy screech, similar to the hunger call of a juvenile great horned. Bill snapping and chittering are also part of a great horned’s repertoire.

And on a quiet night, these loud calls project over the desert or through the canyons and can be heard easily a half-mile away.

Known for their varied diet, great horned owls take a variety of prey from small rodents to large mammals, waterfowl and loons, and small domestic animals. Just about anything that moves is potential prey for a great horned and this includes skunks, porcupines, and snakes.

Great horned owls aren’t the only owls calling during February. Depending upon location, a silent observer might hear the deep whoot call of a long-eared owl, the whistled call of a western screech owl, or the hollow, single-note call of the even-smaller northern pygmy owl.

Long-eared owls are well named, too. There long ear tufts are set closer together than a great horned’s and are used in posturing and displays. Like other owls, the ear openings are situated on opposite sides of the head and are offset somewhat to triangulate and locate sounds of prey and predators. The owl’s orangish facial disk helps to channel sounds into these ear canals, as well.

The long-eared owl nests in the Moab Valley in dense willow and cottonwood habitat, as well as higher up in the mountains in pinyon-juniper woodlands or aspen-spruce forests. They usurp magpie, raven, or hawk nests for their own instead of building a nest. Like great horneds, these owls prey on rodents, small mammals, and sometimes small birds or snakes.

Western screech-owls are small but they have a fierce demeanor. They may take prey such as cottontail rabbits which are larger than the owls themselves, although rodents and small birds are more commonly taken. Similar to many owls, bats may be a part of this species’ diet.

Contrary to their name, these owls don’t screech – that is trait of their eastern relative the eastern screech-owl. Instead, the call of these owls resembles a series of whistled notes that descend into a rapid trill. Hearing these owls duet in the calm of night is a real treat.

Screech owls also don’t build their own nest, rather they use abandoned woodpecker holes or natural tree cavities. These owls also nest in the Moab Valley, as well as higher up in the mountains. Theses owls will also take to a nest box, any cavity in a pinch.

Northern pygmy owls, named for their small size, are another cavity nesting species, often using abandoned woodpecker holes. Their rounded heads are spotted with white and they have long tails for an owl. Often active during the day, these owls prey on songbirds and rodents, although they’ve been known to take on larger birds like flickers and even chickens!
These are just some of the owls that may be encountered in Canyon Country, their announced presence is always a sweet benefit to a nighttime stroll.

Thanks to Doug Overman, Steve Woodard, and Andy Kleinhesselink for use of their owl photos.