There are 13 species of owls in Colorado. Some are pretty common like the Great Horned Owl, others you won’t see as much like the Mexican Spotted Owl. Those species are the Barn Owl, Eastern Screech-owl, Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, and the Northern Saw-whet Owl.
In this article we’ll take a look at each species and learn a little bit about them.
The 13 types of owls in Colorado
The 13 species of owls in Colorado are the Eastern Screech-owl, Great Horned Owl, Barn Owl, Western Screech-owl, Long-eared owl, Short-eared owl, Northern Saw-whet owl, Flammulated Owl, Snowy Owl, Northern Pygmy Owl, Burrowing Owl, Mexican Spotted Owl, and the Boreal Owl.
1. Eastern Screech-owl
Length: 6.3-9.8 in
Weight: 4.3-8.6 oz
Wingspan: 18.9-24.0 in
The Eastern Screech-owl is a permanent resident to Colorado, but only in the eastern most parts of the state near the border. These small owls are only about the size of a robin and feed on various insects, rodents, and songbirds. Eastern Screech-owls are highly camouflaged and blend in very well with the trees they nest in, which is where you’ll likely spot one. Listen for songbirds fussing and giving predator alarms, it could mean that an Eastern Screech-owl is nearby. Screech-owl pairs mate for life and are known to accept nesting boxes if provided.
2. Great Horned Owl
Length: 18.1-24.8 in
Weight: 32.1-88.2 oz
Wingspan: 39.8-57.1 in
The Great Horned Owl is easily the larg