Finding Out About The Seven Owls In Georgia

0
1469
Owls In Georgia
Closeup portrait of a funny Burrowing Owl (Speotyto cunicularia) looking directly into the camera.

 Owls in Georgia – Georgia has breathtaking views, which makes it a popular destination. The Peach State’s broad temperate region is home to rivers, canyons, ski resorts, dunes, and ski areas. However, the owls who live in this utopia in the southern part of the country are the true eye-catchers. In Georgia, owls come in seven distinct main groups.

Four live there throughout the year, while the remaining three fly in from different states to escape the chilly winters. In this article titled “Owls in Georgia,” we’ll get to understand them.

Finding Out About The Seven Georgian Owls

The Eastern Screech Owl measures 6.5 to 9.9 inches in length, weighs between 122 and 246 grams, and has a 20 to 30-inch wingspan. The eastern screeching owl is one of Georgia’s most prevalent owl varieties. They resemble small great-horned owls, making it easy to recognize them.

Although Georgia screech owls typically have grey wings, you can rarely glimpse one with fiery coloring. Besides being small, eastern screech owls are solitary creatures that spend the day hiding in pine crevices. They rarely appear in grasslands and prefer older trees close to water. Look for a commotion between birdies during the day to locate the screech owls.

Although it’s unlikely, there’s a strong probability that the songbirds are bothering an owl. This is only fair because Eastern screech owls are carnivores and drive birds away from their families in branch holes.

Screech owls will quickly settle in nesting boxes if you want to see them on your land. I’m not to blame for the small guys. The fact that they abandon their houses to devastation every day is difficult already.

Read More- Everything About Hawks In Texas

Barn Owl Size: 9.4 inches by 15.9 inches

350 to 600 grams in mass

38.4 to 51.7-inch wingspan

The distinctive white, heart-shaped faces of barn owls are paired with beige and white feathering. They provide the eerie effect of a big white bird while flying.

These owls, native to Georgia, can be observed all year long, everywhere in the state. One can easily be located within its borders. Barn owls reside in abandoned structures such as factories, caverns, and, as you might have imagined, farms and silos. However, you have a better chance of seeing one flying or mounted on a structure or pole after darkness.

Although barn owls are not as fierce predators as great horned owls, they are active vole and mouse predators. In a given year, one family may eat over 3,100 voles.

However, it is no surprise that farmers in Georgia install barn owl nesting sites to reduce the rat population on their property.

The largest owl species

The great horned owl measures 19 to 25 inches in length.

980 to 2400 grams in mass, 38 to 59-inch wingspan

In Georgia, the great horned owl reigns supreme among owls. It is the title of the biggest owl in the United States, not just in Georgia.

But its fierce foraging skills make it the dominant species in its range. The huge owl goes out at dusk to chase rodents, small creatures, insects, other owls, and everything else that comes into its territory, occasionally involving human attempts. 

Great horned flourish in virtually any environment. Woods, necessities, and a wide range of terrain to prowl are all they require. They frequently hang atop poles or other man-made objects to detect potential Prey. No matter where you live—on the outskirts or in a village—it will not differ. Great horned owls may survive in metropolitan and suburban areas as long as basic necessities are provided.

It benefits both parties. Searching desperately for that one? Morning or sunset are the best times to try your fortune. Keep an eye out for that scream as well.

Barred Owl 

15.9 to 20.5 inches long.

Around 465 to 1060 grams.

40 to 42-inch wingspan.

The barred owl is the largest in Georgia after the great horned owl. Honestly, Owlfie, I don’t know; I usually eat out. Their banded brown and white feathering would be another distinctive feature. They can be easily distinguished since they also possess hairless skulls.

But extensive woodlands and wetlands with trees are particularly important to barred owls.

The barred owl is primarily found in Georgia by people who live in homes with forested backyards. Or, unless you’re brave, go on a hike into the bottomland woods.

The excellent news is that nest boxes can entice a breeding population if you’re in a barred owl area that’s ideal for them. Additionally, they stay put permanently. Barred owls hardly go far from their home range and also don’t relocate.

Fact: Barred owls only leave their current habitat when the Great Horned Owl, their archenemy, is around.

Short-Eared Owl

13.6 to 20.4 inches long, between 204 and 465 grams

The span of the wings is 32.5 to 50.8 inches.

Of the owls in the country, the short-eared owl could be the only one that scavenges during the daylight hours.

In Georgia, are owls permitted as pets?

No, keeping an owl as a pet is prohibited in Georgia and every other state in the United States. Only certified personnel may use or retain them for study, teaching, or rehabilitation care. A falconer may also keep aggressive owls for falconry, such as the Great Horned Owl and Eurasian Eagle Owl.

Owl sounds in Georgia.

The great horned owl’s screech has come to be known as one of the most famous owl noises in Georgia. I can’t even begin to recall how often its loud hoots have been broadcast on television.

The Harris Neck Refuge for National Wildlife is a great spot to watch these raptors if you’re looking for a more specific area. Additionally, for some of the other owls,

An interesting fact: a great-horned owl does not have horns.

Rather, like numerous other owls, it possesses an ear crest, although the big guy is more prominent.

Oddly, most nature lovers overhear eastern screeching owls more frequently than they see them. These small owls are easy to spot when you recognize their night sounds.

In contrast to other owls, barn owls typically shriek noisily while in flight rather than hooting. Funny enough, some people refer to its cry as being like a banshee.

In addition to the Barred Owl’s length, it is more well-known for its boisterous scream. The distinctive “who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all” hoot of the barred owl can be heard. 

Read More- Different types of Owls found in Michigan?

Conclusion:

The seven owl varieties that you are most likely to encounter in Georgia are what we’ve eventually determined. Snow-covered owls are not being considered as they occasionally ventured into the Peach state over roughly a decade.

In Georgia, you’ll have the highest likelihood of spotting great horned owls or eastern screech owls. In the province, barn owls are also common.

But if you wish to have any possibility of seeing the remaining owls, you’ll be required to have a garden with trees or go to old-growth woodlands. Prepare your binoculars, recorder, and notebook for the big discovery now. I hope you enjoyed reading this article on owls in Georgia.

Read More- How can you differentiate between Eagle vs Hawk?