There are 9 species of owls in Iowa, and no matter what part of the state you live in you’re likely to have some owls living nearby. You may not realize it, though, because owls are hard to spot. Most of them are only active at night, and they’re superbly camouflaged.
Even at night, they fly silently and make very little noise. Once you know what to listen and look for, you’ll be surprised at how many owls live close to you.
Owls live in all kinds of habitats, with different species preferring different environments and some species avoiding others. Below you’ll find a list of the owls that live in Iowa, and where and when you can find them.
The 9 Amazing Owls in Iowa
The 9 species of owls in Iowa are the Barn Owl, Eastern Screech-owl, Northern Hawk Owl, Burrowing Owl, Barred Owl, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, and the Great Horned owl.
1. Barn Owl
Scientific name: Tyto Alba
Weight: 14.1-24.7 oz
Length: 12.6-15.8 in
Wingspan: 39.4-49.2 in
Lifespan: 4 years
Barn Owls can be found throughout Iowa, though they prefer open spaces like grasslands and agricultural fields. Even this far north they don’t migrate, so you’ll find them in Iowa year-round.
The Barn Owl doesn’t hoot like most owls; instead, it makes an eerie screeching noise. The sound is actually quite scary if you aren’t prepared for it and, along with their ghostly pale faces, is the reason they’re often known as Ghost Owls or Demon Owls.
2. Eastern Screech-owl
Scientific name: Megascops asio
Weight: 4.3-8.6 oz
Length: 6.3-9.8 in
Wingspan: 18.9-24 in
Lifespan: 8-10 years
The owls live in Iowa all year, and can be found throughout the state. You’ll have more luck finding them in wooded areas than grassland, as they prefer to roost and hunt among the trees.
Screech-owls hunt birds, and one of the most reliable methods of locating a screech-owl during the day is to listen to the songbirds. Smaller birds will often mob the owls in the daylight to drive them away, and the commotion can be heard from a long way off. These owls are so well camouflaged, you’ll have a hard time finding one otherwise.