Q: This owl is living by our office in Carrollton. It knocked a squirrel out of a tree yesterday then swooped down and gathered it up, took it back up in the tree and had lunch. My wife and the other women that witnessed this event would like to know what kind of owl Herman is.

A: It’s a barred owl. They eat a large variety of prey, including: mice, voles, shrews, moles, rats, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, opossums, frogs, snakes, crayfish, insects, and fish. If you camp by a wooded stream, you’ll often hear their “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you?” call.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a great collection of barred owl calls and vocalizations.

See Barred Owl Facts

barred owl