How to Locate Owls
Birds of prey, owls belong to the Strigiformes family of birds. Approximately 200 species of owls exist, some of which may be living in your own backyard or neighboring woods. Locating owls requires a combination of observational skills and patience. An owl may call any tree, tall bush or building structure home. If you suspect that an owl lives in the vicinity, keep your eyes and ears open for a few signs from Mother Nature.
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Instructions
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Grab a pair of binoculars for daytime viewing. Binoculars will allow you to get up close and personal without disturbing the owl. For an evening walk, take a flashlight to light your way.
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Listen for the hoot when you are out for an evening walk. You may even want to let out a "hoot" yourself and see if an owl responds. Listen intently and try to follow the owl's response.
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Watch the crows. Groups of crows squawking madly, and flying wildly up in the treetops, usually means that a bird of prey is in the area. It may just be an owl.
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Check the ground if you suspect that an owl is living in a particular location. Owls feed on rabbits, skunks, rodents and some reptiles. What they can't digest, they regurgitate. The result is a pellet-shaped ball of fur and bones lying at the base of any tree that an owl frequents.
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Tips & Warnings
An evening walk in the dead of winter when all is quiet is the ideal time to locate owls. Owls begin nesting during the tail end of winter. If you are lucky, you may be able to spot an owl mother with her babies approximately one month later.
Once you locate an owl, revel in the view and then give him his space. During the day, he needs his rest. In the evening, he is most likely in the midst of hunting. Both of these behaviors are vital to owls. For some owls, such as the burrowing owl and the short-eared owl, these sleeping and hunting habits are reversed.
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