Those who have birded in Arkansas know that the state is so much more diverse in its habitat offerings than many assume. It turns out that the Natural State nickname is well-earned, as immense forests, extensive swamps, and riparian bottomlands abound in Arkansas. If you’re hoping to take in the scenery and enjoy some birding at the same time, then there are no better birds to pursue than owls in Arkansas!
Arkansas is certainly not the first place that most consider when thinking about places with owls, but it should be no surprise that the state hosts terrific numbers of these birds of prey. After all, more than half of Arkansas is forested, and much of the remainder of the state is appealing habitat for types of owls in Arkansas who favor more open habitats.
No matter the nocturnal avian predator you’re targeting, this guide is sure to help you learn and identify all the Arkansas owls who are regulars in the state. Let’s take a look!
Table of Contents
7 Owls In Arkansas
Barn Owl (American Subspecies)
Scientific Name: Tyto alba
Length: ~12.5 – 16 inches ( 32 – 40 cm)
Weight: 14 – 24.7 ounces
Wingspan: ~39.5 – 49 inches (100 – 125 cm)
Barn Owls are year-round residents of Arkansas but don’t allow this fact to make you think these creatures are common in the state. Indeed, American Barn Owls are the most uncommon year-round resident owls of Arkansas, with only about 475 reports submitted to eBird.
Barn Owls undoubtedly have lower numbers compared to the three other year-round resident owls, but another reason they are so hard to detect is that they are chiefly nocturnal. Yes, one look at the dark eyes and heart-shaped faces of these birds should key you in on the fact that they are adapted to night life. Therefore, birders don’t stand as good a chance of seeing a Barn Owl during the day as they do some of the other owls on this list.
American Barn Owls avoid heavily forested areas, so they are largely absent from the north-central and western portions of Arkansas where forest dominates. Instead, look for them in in southern, eastern, and northeastern Arkansas where pairs may establish territories near wetlands, grasslands, or river floodplains. Barn Owls will use human-made structures for nesting, so keep watch for them in old sheds or barns.
Barred Owl
Scientific Name: Strix varia
Length: 19 inches (53 cm)
Weight: 16.5 to 37 ounces
Wingspan: 39 – 43 inches (99 – 110 cm)
Barred Owls are the most common owl species in Arkansas. The Hot Springs State provides plenty of ideal habitat for these creatures, so it’s no wonder that they are flourishing.
Barred Owls are readily found in swamps, forested hills, and riparian timber. However, these Arkansas owls are adaptable, so they can also be present in parks, windbreaks, and wooded towns. They are distributed throughout the state, but their numbers increase as forest increases on a landscape.
Barred Owls are the only Arkansas owls aside from Barn Owls that have dark eyes, demonstrating their nocturnal nature. However, Barred Owls are much more likely to be spotted during the day, as they may be visible after being flushed from a roost. Additionally, they may sound off during the day.
Eastern Screech-Owl
Scientific Name: Otus asio
Length: 8.5 inches (22 cm)
Weight: 4.3 – 8.6 ounces
Wingspan: 19 – 24 inches (48 – 61 cm)
Eastern Screech-Owls are small owls with ear tufts who make their homes in a variety of wooded areas in Arkansas. They are present in dense forests and swamps, but these owls of Arkansas are equally comfortable in parks, wooded backyards, and windbreaks.
These tiny owls in Arkansas are present year-round, and both red and gray Eastern Screech-Owls may be observed. They can be found anywhere in the state, but southern Arkansas seems to have the lowest densities of screech-owls reported. Though, this may be due to this area of Arkansas receiving less birding coverage than other regions.
Eastern Screech-Owls readily nest in birdhouses during the breeding season. Therefore, those who erect these structures in their timber may be rewarded with nesting owls.
Great Horned Owl
Scientific Name: Bubo virginianus
Length: 22 inches (56 cm)
Weight: 33 – 88 ounces
Wingspan: 40 – 57 inches (101 – 145 cm)
Great Horned Owls are the largest, most fearsome owl in Arkansas. They also happen to be the second most commonly observed of the owls native to Arkansas.
These year-round residents of Arkansas may be found in swamps and forested areas adjacent to rivers. However, they are just as common in wooded farmsteads, cemeteries, and towns with mature timber. If you notice that a group of crows is causing a raucous and congregating near a clump of trees, they may have found a Great Horned Owl.
Great Horned Owls are not very active during the day, preferring to lay low and rest. Luckily, they can easily be detected at night thanks to the hooting duet that is performed by males and females during the breeding season.
Long-eared Owl
Scientific Name: Asio otus
Length: ~13.75 – 15.75 inches (35 – 40 cm)
Weight: 7.75 – 15.25 ounces
Wingspan: 35.5 – 39.5 inches (90 – 100 cm)
Long-eared Owls are the rarest of the types of owls in Arkansas, with only 60 reports being submitted to eBird. They are not year-round residents, instead breeding in the Upper Midwest or Canada and traveling to Arkansas for the winter.
Arkansas represents the southern extent of Long-eared Owl wintering range, and these medium-sized owls are tremendously difficult to detect considering they rarely make noise during the nonbreeding season. However, if you were to try to track one down, search adjacent to open aquatic habitats such as river floodplains or marshes. Here, they will roost in trees that offer lots of cover.
Most regions of Arkansas have records of Long-eared Owls, but northeast Arkansas seems to provide one with the best chance of finding one of these elusive owls. Check out this study for an analysis of the diet of two wintering Long-eared Owls in Arkansas.
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Scientific Name: Aegolius acadicus
Length: 7 – 8 inches (18 – 21 cm)
Weight: 2.5 – 5.5 ounces
Wingspan: 16.5 – 19 inches (42 – 48 cm)
Before a decade ago, Northern Saw-whet Owls were considered to be rare winter residents in Arkansas, but new research has changed many opinions about Arkansas’s smallest owl.
Although a dozen historical records of Northern Saw-whet Owls exist from the 1900s, most assumed that these wintering owls of Arkansas only occasionally spent the nonbreeding season here. However, thanks to a banding effort at the Ozark Natural Science Center, we are beginning to gain a better understanding of Northern Saw-whet Owl movements in Arkansas.
We now know that these petite owls are regular Arkansas winter residents, and they are certainly present in greater numbers than was previously thought. Forested areas in northern Arkansas seem to be the best places to look for this Arkansas owl during winter.
Short-eared Owl
Scientific Name: Asio flammeus
Length: 15 inches (38 cm)
Weight: 7.3 – 17 ounces
Wingspan: 33.5 – 40.5 inches (85 – 103 cm)
Nearly 500 Short-eared Owl reports have been submitted to eBird from Arkansas. These owl species in Arkansas typically arrive in November and depart by the end of March.
Look for Short-eared Owls to be present in open areas devoid of many trees. Marshes, river floodplains, and prairies are all good places to check. The greatest concentrations of Short-eared Owls in Arkansas can be found along the Arkansas River from Fort Smith to Little Rock. Western Arkansas also boasts good numbers.
Short-eared Owls are unique among Arkansas owls in that they are most active at dawn and dusk. This means that birders may have good opportunities to observe and photograph these predators with good lighting.