Oh, I love Barred Owls! One roosted outside my apartment a couple of years ago. ???
While hiking, we saw white feathers raining down from a Ponderosa pine tree beside the trail. Looking up, we saw a Western Screech Owl perched on a branch 15 feet up.
Holding a small, dead bird in its claws, the small owl was busily plucking out feathers with its beak.
The owl stared balefully at us with piercing yellow eyes, as if saying: "Don't touch my bird!"
Late in winter, even in a somewhat urban setting, I often hear the screeching of barn owls. This is a very comforting sound, not really screeching at all. What did the Wise Old Owl Say? Who, Who, Who Am I? I'm a Howling Sigma Chi! Ah, the memories.
I love the sound of owls hooting.
@LiterateHiker Much more soothing than the shattering alarm clocks that crows bring.
I sometimes hear one in my garden but I have never actually seen it. There are a lot of trees and I just can’t pin it down. Lucky you.