The Spotted Owl or the Northern Spotted Owl lives in forested mountains of western North America.  Spotted Owls can also be found in the southwest and Mexico in deserted bird's nests in trees, in caves, or in the hollow of a tree. They belong to the family Strigidae.
    They have brown wing and back feathers with white blotches or spots across the back of their head on their chest.  Most Spotted Owls are around 18 inches and weigh about 20 ounces. The Spotted Owl has a round head and face, sharp talons, and large dark eyes. The edge of a Spotted Owl's feathers have a special fringe that enables them to fly silently and surprise their victims, which makes them well suited for night hunting. Surprisingly, the Spotted Owl isn't afraid of humans.
    Spotted Owls are carnivores. They feed mainly on rodents like wood mice and deer mice, as well as bigger animals like rabbits, bats, birds, reptiles and insects.
    The Spotted Owl's population has been threatened by humans destroying their habitat by logging. Spotted Owls do not breed in areas that have grown back after being cleared, and need about 100 acres of forest to breed successfully and gather enough food for their young.

 

                            By:Astrid Peacock.

---

Coniferous Forest                Land Habitats               School Site