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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 ...

I heard a barred owl hooting one night in the woods that surround my house. A few nights later, I heard a great horned owl, with a different, descending pattern of hoots. What I heard was probably ...

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 ...

Spotting an owl glide through the treetops is a thrilling experience, its silhouette a shadow against the twilight sky. A hallmark of owls is their completely silent flight. But when they do make ...

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?