Over 200 species of owls, ranging in size and living in various habitats, exist worldwide.
But when it comes to the types of owls in Michigan, which owls inhabit this area?
Michigan has varied terrain and climate; the western side experiences colder winter temperatures than the eastern side.
As a result, different types of climates accommodate different animals. Owls are no exception.
Michigan has an incredibly varied array of owls that inhabit its forests, grasslands, wetlands, and other areas.
In our article, we will discuss the different types of owls in Michigan and their characteristics and habitats – giving readers an insight into the different avian life features within Michigan’s borders.
1. Great Horned Owl
This is the first on our list of types of owls in Michigan. The Great Horned Owl is one of Michigan’s most majestic owls.
These beautiful birds stand tall, with a wingspan of up to five feet and two-foot body length.
Most people in Michigan inhabit woodlands and open areas such as fields, meadows, and wetlands, which makes it easier for them to access their rodent prey.
Though their range is more limited than that of other species, they can be found across Michigan during the breeding season, eating everything from grouse to muskrats.
Great Horned Owls are mostly nocturnal, yet some activity can happen around dawn or dusk.
During courtship season, these types of owls in Michigan make deep hoots that often carry for miles, making them well known throughout their scenery; this also helps prospective mates find each other when locating potential nesting sites.
The most prominent feature of these iconic owls is their long ear tufts, which is why they were nicknamed ‘horns’ due to their distinctive look.
When threatened or excited, adult and juvenile great-horned owls will spread these wide tufts out to appear larger, promising an intimidating presence when sighted.
2. Barn Owl
The barn owl is a common species found throughout Michigan. It is characterized by its telltale screech, distinct black markings around its eyes, and heart-shaped face.
The barn owl’s wide wingspan allows it to fly more quickly than other owls in its family, making it an effective predator of small mammals.
Its light tan feathers provide excellent camouflage against tree bark, allowing it to blend into the background while hunting at night.
Barn owls feed mostly on rodents, relying heavily on their sharp hearing to find prey in dark, overgrown areas or grasslands.
They can hear the slightest fluctuations in sound and will swoop down to catch mice, voles, moles, shrews, squirrels, and other small mammals with great accuracy and speed, sometimes catching multiple animals on one hunt!
Additionally, barn owls have been known to consume birds such as quail or songbirds if their normal prey is unavailable due to cold temperatures or depleted populations.
Barn owls benefit farmers and gardeners by helping keep rodent populations under control without using chemical pesticides or traps. They also make excellent neighbors, and their loud barking voices provide musical entertainment day and night!
3. Long-eared Owl
The Long-Eared Owl is also on our list of types of owls in Michigan and other parts of North America.
They are small—to medium-sized owls with mottled gray and brown plumage, which helps them provide camouflage when roosting amongst twigs and foliage.
Long-eared owls have prominent ear tufts, yellow eyes, and a facial disk relatively smaller than others. They are active at night and feed mainly on small mammals such as voles and mice.
During the mating season, males may call with their hoots at dawn and dusk, while female calls are muffled.
Both sexes collect materials such as grasses and feathers to build open nests in the forks of trees, abandoned crow nests, or hawk nest platforms.
The number of eggs laid usually ranges from three to five but can reach up to twelve, depending on food availability.
The offspring hatch by the female alone after 24–29 days of incubation.
Both parents share the responsibility of caring for the young until they fledge about two months after hatching, making them almost fully independent soon afterward.
Long-eared owls are commonly found in coniferous forests, woodlands, shrubland habitats, marshes, farmland areas, and parklands throughout Michigan throughout the year.
They provide an important ecological balance by controlling rodent populations in populated areas and wilderness alike throughout this great state!
4. Short-eared Owl
The Short-Eared Owl is a type of owl found in Michigan.
This owl prefers open grasslands, fields, and marshes, as these habitats offer plenty of food and ideal nesting sites.
A low yet wide-winged bird, the Short-Eared Owl is one of the most distinctive owl species due to its yellow eyes, small stature, rounded head, and short ear tufts.
One of their adaptations for hunting at dusk or dawn is their facial disc, which helps them focus on hearing prey more clearly.
In Michigan, Short-Eared Owls tend to winter during October and November in southern parts of the state.
During this season, they feed primarily on meadow voles abundant in open grasslands.
Additionally, during late April and early May, it’s common to find owlets born from successful breeding pairs on muskrat houses or spots surrounded by tall vegetation.
These types of owls in Michigan also have an impressive courtship display involving lots of “sky dipping,” hovering above the ground while making loud calls.
5. Northern Saw-whet Owl
The northern saw-whet owl is a small, adorable bird found in various parts of Michigan.
These types of owls in Michigan have gray and white facial markings on the side of their head, which gives them a unique look amongst other owls.
The Northern Saw-Whet Owl is relatively small compared to other owls and can fit in the palm of your hand when fully grown.
They are mostly active during nighttime but can also be seen during sunrise or sunset.
Northern Saw-Whet Owls are very territorial and will fiercely fight to protect their territory if they feel it is threatened by another owl encroaching on its space.
During mating season, they can become very loud and heard from long distances away due to their whistle-like sound.
They generally create their nests in natural tree hollows or abandoned old bird’s nests but can also adapt to human-made nesting boxes if necessary.
In Michigan, these owls feed on small rodents such as mice, voles, shrews, and pocket gophers but occasionally eat insects for additional nutrition.
6. Barred Owl
The Barred Owl is next on our list of types of owls in Michigan.
These owls are medium-sized and can grow up to 17 inches long with a wingspan of 39 inches.
They have distinct brown and white striped feathers, giving them the popular nickname “eight-hooter” due to their eight stripes.
These owls are typically found in populated areas such as cities and suburbs but can also be seen in natural habitats such as woodlands, wetlands, and swamps.
These Barred Owls often nest in old woodpecker holes or tree cavities and feed on small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and some fruit.
During the springtime, when food sources become scarce, these owls come out at night to hunt for food and make their distinctive “who-cooks-for-you?” call, their mating call.
Barred Owls are a beloved species of owl in Michigan because of their unique call, which many people recognize when they hear it in the wild.
7. Eastern Screech Owl
The Eastern Screech Owl is a small, common species of owl found in the United States, especially throughout Michigan.
These owls are diurnal, which means they hunt during the day and roost and nest in hollow trees or man-made birdhouses at night.
They commonly live within deciduous and mixed forest ecosystems in urban and rural areas.
The Eastern Screech Owl features gray or red feathers, depending on its location, and impressive eyes that give it exceptional night vision.
They have a unique hooting call with a tremulous trill near the end, described as ‘scry-scr-o-o.’
In Michigan specifically, the Eastern Screech Owl can be found in most of its 84 counties, including popular cities such as Detroit and Ann Arbor.
A study conducted by Avian Conservation & Ecology reported that these types of owls in Michigan are one of the most frequently encountered species among Nocturnal Forest Birds (NFBs) due to their population size and wide habitat use throughout Michigan forest landscapes.
Because of this high population density, these owls are often introduced from dusk to dawn on nights with no moonlight or cloudy skies at eye level.
They occasionally make quite a fuss when disturbed by people walking too close to their roosting tree holes!
8. Boreal Owl
Boreal Owls are a type of owl found in Michigan. They have gray-brown Plumage and bright yellow eyes, and their belly appears much lighter than their back.
They usually measure between 6 and 8 inches long and have an average wingspan range of 18 to 28 inches.
At night, they can be heard vocalizing with a series of hoots that build in pitch before seeming to laugh at the end.
These types of owls in Michigan prefer cold and boreal environments such as coniferous forests.
They are found in northern Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia, eastern Europe, parts of Asia, and most of North America up to the midwestern United States.
They typically nest among broken tree limbs near the tops of large conifers, where predators or humans cannot easily spot their young because the snow will often cover them for most of the year.
During the mating season, which runs from late March to April, female Boreal Owls lay between two and five eggs, which incubate for approximately 28 days before hatching into fluff balls barely larger than human palms!
They feed mainly on small mammals such as rodents and rabbits, making them important members of naturally balancing ecosystems during timber harvesting operations.
The preservation of old-growth forests is paramount for these birds. Deforestation, when companies clear-cut whole swathes of the forest at once, shreds their habitat, leaving no suitable nesting sites or prey behind.
9. Snowy Owl
The Snowy Owl is a large white owl native to the Arctic but has been found in Michigan in recent years.
It is one of the only types of owls in Michigan that breeds during the summer and migrates south during winter.
Snowy Owls typically inhabit barren and open habitats such as beaches, tundra, or grasslands.
During winter, they may sometimes be observed inland, hunting along riverbanks and fields near human habitation.
Snowy Owls are most easily identified by their bright white feathers and orange-yellow eyes.
They tend to stick out due to their large bulk compared to other owl species in Michigan.
Adults weigh 4–5 lbs. and have a wingspan of four feet wide. Males are almost pure white, while females may exhibit brown spots on their heads and wings.
Snowy Owls are fierce carnivores, preying mainly on small rodents such as voles, lemmings, and rabbits, though occasionally fish or sea birds if the opportunity presents itself.
They hunt during the late afternoon or at dusk, often perching atop trees or poles for long periods before plunging onto unsuspecting prey below them with incredible speed.
10. Great Gray Owl
The Great Gray Owl is a majestic species of owl native to Michigan.
This large bird can reach five feet in wingspan, and its all-gray feathers create an ancient and formidable appearance.
Its face is highlighted by deep yellow or sometimes orange eyes, providing a striking contrast that has intrigued birdwatchers for years.
Great Gray Owls can also be identified by their distinctively loud hoot call, which pierces the night air so loud that some locals have nicknamed them “the wolf of the forest.”
In Michigan, the Great Gray Owl is one of the few nocturnal species known to inhabit the area. During the summer months, it can often be found nesting in dense coniferous forests.
During winter, they are more likely to populate open areas with patches of bare trees and fields due to the abundance of small rodents they hunt at night.
It’s not uncommon for these types of owls in Michigan to fly up into nearby higher elevations as well; this behavior helps them detect potential prey better during hunting trips in search of food.
To keep itself warm during cold weather, it fluffs its feathers into an inch-thick downy layer that provides enough insulation for even the most bitter blizzards.
Even though not widely seen due to their shy nature, these types of owls in Michigan make up much of Michigan wildlife. If you’re lucky, you, too, might catch a glimpse!
11. Northern Hawk Owl
This is the last on our list of types of owls in Michigan. Easily identified by its distinct grayish-brown feathers, white streaky underbelly, and intense yellow eyes, this majestic bird can be seen flying around Michigan’s woods and meadows during mating season.
The northern hawk owl is a smaller species of owl than some of the larger breeds found in Michigan.
Thanks to their exceptionally light bones, these birds can weigh less than half a pound at only 16 inches tall.
During winter, northern hawk-owls travel south into northern states like Wisconsin and Minnesota to find food, as rodents become scarce in Michigan’s colder climates.
While sighted year-round in some areas due to climate change, Northern Hawk-Owls are best observed during the warmer spring months of March, April, and May!
Half an hour before sunset or sunrise offers optimum viewing conditions since it coincides with their active hunting periods.
Active hunters of small mammals and certain insects often search for prey viewable from ground level or mid-flight if an interesting sound captures their attention!
With keen hearing and excellent night vision capabilities, these hunters are more adept than many other owls at capturing prey even some distance away.
Look out for them while exploring your favorite outdoor pastimes in Michigan.
You may be lucky enough to observe one swooping between the trees!
