PHOTO PROVIDED An adult barred owl is shown perched on a branch.

A barred owl made quite a stir in Arlington, Virginia, over the Christmas holiday. The bird evidently was playing Santa Claus and went down the chimney of a home. Once inside the home the owl perched on top of the Christmas tree, knocking over the star.

The owl became a celebrity when it was featured on the Today Show. Eventually, the owl was captured and released into the wild.

Several weeks ago, our son sent us a picture of an owl perched in a tree in their yard. Our great-grandson Liam had identified the bird as a barred owl and wanted to know if he was correct. He was.

I was amazed that these two owl incidents were in urban areas. I had always thought the barred owls were birds of the deep forest. After checking my bird atlas, I found that barred owls can be found in urban areas, especially during the winter months when food is scarce.

Several years ago, a friend who lives near Harper’s Ferry sent me several photos of a young barred owl that had fallen out of the nest. He mentioned that a pair of barred owls have been nesting in a tree in his yard for many years, and every year he notices a young bird on the ground. My friend wondered how the young birds were able to return to the nest since they were still too young to fly.

Then one day he watched as the young bird hopped to the base of a tree, spread its wings and then, using its feet, walked up the side of the tree.

A barred owl usually nests in a hollow tree, however when hollow trees are scarce the barred owl will raise its young in another bird’s nest. On rare occasions, the barred owl will nest in holes in the ground, using the same nest site for years.

The barred owl has a slightly higher-pitched call than the mournful call of the great-horned owl. The barred owl’s call is a series of eight hoots ending in oo-aw, with a downward pitch at the end. It sounds as if the owl is saying “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you-all?”

Turkey hunters will imitate the call of the barred owl to locate turkeys, especially early in the morning. Barred owls are often heard more than seen. They prefer mature forested areas, swamps and wooded ravines.

In the Atlas of Breeding Birds of Pennsylvania, it states that although most barred owls are observed in the Appalachian Plateau, they are found in every county except Philadelphia. In areas where woodlands are reduced in size and interspersed with farming areas, the great-horned owl usually replaces the barred owl. During the late 1800s, barred owls were the most common owl species in our mountain areas. Their population was reduced due to the timbering of the state however. Today the barred owl population is increasing because of the reforestation of much of the state.

The book also stated that the barred owl is the third most populated owl in the state but well behind the great-horned owl and the eastern screech owl. However today the population of the great-horned owl is dropping.

The barred owl’s scientific name is Strix varia. The Strix is Latin and comes from the Greek word meaning an owl, or a nightbird. The genus name varia is Latin and comes from the Greek word strizo, meaning to screech. The bird’s common name comes from the barred crosswise streak on the breast. There is also a lengthwise streak on the bird’s belly and the back is spotted with white.

The barred owl is Pennsylvania’s only owl with brown eyes with all other owls having yellow eyes. All owls have good eyesight, however the barred owls have especially keen eyesight. This owl also has very good hearing and will respond to a squeaking or a mouse-like call.

Several times, while grouse hunting in thick stands of evergreens, I have disturbed these large owls. I am always amazed as I watch their flight, which consists of several flaps and then a glide, while skillfully avoiding tree branches. Just as other owls, the barred owl also has a soft-toothed leading edge on its first primary feather, which reduces the noise of the air passing over the wings and gives the bird a silent flight.

The breeding season in Pennsylvania begins in February with most eggs being laid in mid-March. The female will lay two or three eggs and do most of the incubation of the eggs. After approximately 28 days, the young are born covered with white down and with their eyes closed. Compare this with young hawks and eagles which are born with their eyes open. After 42 days, the young will leave the nest, usually about mid-June.

Barred owls will eat a wide variety of small mammals, birds, insects and amphibians. The book states that they have been known to wade in shallow water to catch fish.

Just as all owls, the barred owl’s ears play an important part in its hunting skill. The ears are located on the side of the head, surrounded by deep soft feathers, which the owl can spread to make a funnel to each ear opening. One ear opening is larger and of a different shape than the other.

This difference helps the owl to locate prey by triangulation and detect the exact location from which direction and distance a sound has come from. The facial discs of all owls are believed to collect and focus sound waves, which aid in detecting their prey by sound.

Records show that one barred owl, which was banded and released, lived for eight years and eight months in the wild, while another one lived for 23 years in captivity in a California Zoo.

Bill Bower is a retired Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Officer. Read his blog and listen to his podcasts on the outdoors at www.onemaningreen.com.