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There are at least 250 species of owls in the world, but only a few are more commonly seen (and heard) in Northern California and across the United States. The most common owls you’ll encounter in ...

DEAR JOAN: I have a question about owls. Every morning about 5 a.m., an owl roosts in my redwood tree and hoots for at least 20 minutes. I think this is very cool but have questions regarding this ...

An owl’s head does not, in fact, turn a full 360 degrees. Its ear holes are lopsided in order to better pinpoint sound and locate prey. And, on some species, feathers glow under ultraviolet light.

Lately, you may have heard them: “hoot” owls. No such critter named “hoot owl” appears in any field guide, but their calls earn them the moniker. The “hoo-hoo-hoo” kinds of calls belong to either ...

To many humans, owls are birds of mystery. There is a seemingly simple explanation for that. Owls are viewed as nocturnal creatures. Think of owls and you think of night. Their haunting hoots are ...

There are sounds of nature that make me stop what I am doing and listen intently, as if drawn into a deep wildness that is both awesome and yet unnerving. No sound does this more for me than the call ...

DEAR JOAN: We live about a mile from Mission San Jose, and sometimes I hear birds making a “hoo-hoo” call at around 1 or 2 a.m. We were wondering if the calls are being made by owls, doves or pigeons?