The plush toy Northern Spotted Owls shown above are made by the Stuffed Animal House and Folkmanis and can be found at our sponsor's online Gift Shop.

The Spotted Owl is a medium-sized owl (16-1/2 to 19 inches) without ear tufts. This owl is a dark brown bird with white spots; the underparts are white brown barring. The eyes are dark. ( All other large North American owls except the Barn and Barred Owls have yellow eyes.) The Spotted Owl's cousin, the Barred Owl, is light gray, with streaks on the breast and belly.

The voice could be likened to the barking of a dog, with the hoots coming in sets of threes or fours followed by a louder, longer hooo-ah.

The Spotted Owl favors wooded canyons and heavy forests along the West Coast of the United States. This bird is nocturnal. It's chief prey consists of rodents. It is extremely rare and decreasing because of a loss of habitat from logging activities. Environmentalists have voiced their grave concern for the welfare of this bird. It has become quite a political issue.

The owls mate in February or March and the female owl lays her two or three white eggs in a tree or canyon wall cavity or an abandoned hawk's nest. The incubation period is 30 days. The young fledge in about 35 days. The female adult tends the nest and her mate hunts for food.

The owl is a resident from southwestern British Columbia south through California's coast and interior ranges; it can also be found in northern Utah, parts of Colorado and in New Mexico.

Class: Aves | Order: Strigiformesa | Family: Strigidae | Genus: Strix | Species: S. occidentalis

Northern spotted owl U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, John and Karen Hollingsworth

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