How Many Species Of Owls In South Dakota Can You Spot?

South Dakota encompasses an abundance of birding opportunities. You will not have any issues trying to find Red-winged Blackbirds, Western Meadowlarks, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Downy Woodpeckers throughout the year. But is the case the same for owls?

You can spot a total of 10 different species of owls in South Dakota. But among all of them, the Great Horned Owl is the most common. On the other hand, the Barred Owl is considered to be rare in the state.

Now, if you have come across any of the owls in the state, you must be keen to know what species it belonged to. On the contrary, if you are planning to see owls in the state, you might want to know all about these ten owls, right? Well, no matter which is the case, you will get what you are looking for by continuing to read.

1. Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)

As mentioned earlier, Great Horned owls are the most common in South Dakota. They are pretty much present all year round. So, if you want to see an owl in the state, your chances of encountering Great Horned owls are the highest.

Attributes

The Great Horned owls are probably the best-known owl out there. Yes, you might have even seen this magnificent bird in movies and TV shows. Nonetheless, they are known for having a large tuft of feathers on their heads, which look similar to horns. That is precisely where they get their name from.

Now, you cannot miss the hoot even if you do not recognize them by their body appearance. It is the sound most TV shows and movies use when portraying owls.

When it comes to coloration, it varies. But most of them have either warm brown or cool brown feathers on their bodies.

Diet

The diet of the Great Horned owls is pretty diverse. They can adapt to any environment that they are in. But they mostly rely on birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, and insects.

Nesting Preference and Eggs

Typically, the Great Horned owls will nest in trees. And when it comes to tree preferences, it includes beech, pine, juniper, and cottonwood. But they generally rely on abandoned nests. And you can also find them living in dead snags, cavities found in live trees, and deserted buildings.

Early winter is the mating season for these owls. And females are known to lay one to four eggs.

2. Barred Owl (Strix varia)

Although Barred owls are not that common in South Dakota, you can still spot them in the state’s southeastern part. However, they can sometimes come to the eastern border of the state.

Attributes

The Barred owls are generally white and mottled brown in terms of color. They have almost black eyes, which can also be categorized as dark brown. The upper portion of these birds has vertical brown markings with white background. Many refer to these markings as bars.

On the other hand, the upper chest of these owls has horizontal brown bars. And the tail and wings of these birds of prey have white and barred brown feathers.

Diet

When it comes to the diet of Barred owls, it is not as diverse as that of Great Horned owls. These birds of prey mostly rely on small mammals. And small rodents such as mice, rabbits, squirrels, shrews, and opossums are basically the whole diet of these birds.

Nesting Preference and Eggs

The Barred owls nest on natural cavities of trees. When they are on the hunt for a suitable nesting place, they generally tend to pick cavities that are 20 to 40 feet high. December to March is the breeding period for these owls. And during the breeding season, you can find anywhere from 1 to 5 eggs in their nests.

3. Northern Hawk Owl (Strix occidentalis)

The Northern Hawk owl is considered a rare bird in South Dakota. There have not been many sightings to settle to a specific timing or location where these birds of prey can be found. So, you can consider yourself extremely lucky if you have spotted them in the state’s skies.

Attributes

Can you guess why these owls have “hawk” in their names? They behave like a hawk! But do not mistake them for one, as they are indeed an owl and look like one. These birds have dark grey feathers all over their slender and medium-sized bodies. On the underparts, it most white, however. There can also be dark and dense barring.

Aside from that, these owls have yellow eyes, whitish facial disk with a black border and yellow beak. Their tails are reasonably long and have narrowly pointed feathers.

Diet

The diet of the Northern Hawk owls consists mostly of rodents. During the summer, you will find them munching on mice and voles. Sometimes, they will hunt weasels, shrews, and small squirrels. And oftentimes, they will eat frogs, insects, and small fishes.

Nesting Preference and Eggs

When it comes to nesting, these owls prefer cavities or hollow tops of trees. Some of the Northern hawk owls use the same nest for multiple years, while others only use one nest for one year. The breeding season of these owls starts in early March. And during this season, they can lay 3 to 7 eggs.

4. Barn Owl (Tyto alba)

You can spot Barn owls throughout the state of South Dakota. And the great news is that they are present in the state all year round. But if you really want to get a glimpse of them, you should look for them in open grasslands.

Attributes

Barn owls are known to have pale overall coloration. That’s why their eyes stand out a lot, which are dark in color. They also have a mix of gray and buff on their back, heads, and upper wings. On the other hand, their underwings, body, and face have white feathers.

Diet

The Barn owls feed heavily on Voles. But birdwatchers have also seen them munching on small rats, young rabbits, shrews, mice, and other mammals. Some also munch on insects, lizards, and some particular birds. And rarely, you will spot them eating fish or frogs.

Nesting Preference and Eggs

These birds of prey prefer nesting in the natural holes found in the trees. But when they don’t have luck finding one, they will settle on undisturbed buildings such as outbuildings and barns.

The breeding season for these owls starts in March and continues throughout June. Females can lay 4 to 7 eggs during this season.

5. Northern Saw-Whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus)

The Northern Saw-whet owls migrate during the fall. And during their migratory phase, many of them pass through South Dakota. Therefore, if you want to spot one of these owls, October would be the perfect month.

Attributes

One of the most standout attributes of the Northern Saw-whet owl is its small head with yellow eyes. Their head is relatively round, making them stand out from the body. But their tiny head and body make it pretty hard to spot them.

Nonetheless, they have a mottled brown plumage across their bodies when it comes to coloration. That makes them easily blend with the trees and the environment.

Another thing that you should note is that these birds of prey are naturally secretive. They only remain active at night and in their nest throughout the day.

Diet

These birds mostly rely on mice. For their small heads, they eat mice in pieces. And they tend to finish one mouse through two separate meals. Apart from mice, you can spot them having small rodents, such as voles.

Nesting Preference and Eggs

The Northern Saw-whet owls are known to pick tree cavities for nesting. They prefer a height that is 15 to 60 feet above the ground. And you will generally find them inside abandoned woodpecker holes. Females generally lay 4 to 7 eggs during the breeding season, which is between March and July.

6. Short-Eared Owl (Asio flammeus)

The Short-Eared owls are known to spend their summer exclusively in the northern part of the United States and Canada. But you can still find them all year round in the state of South Dakota.

Attributes

These birds of prey live up to their names. They have ear tuft feathers that look like ears. However, the feathers do not stand tall, which is why they are named Short-Eared.

Apart from that, they have yellow eyes, which is a common thing for many owls. But the thing that makes their eyes different is that they have black coloration surrounding their eyes. That makes their eyes pop out.

When it comes to their feather coloration, it is mostly medium brown with buff and white spotting on the upper parts. The face of these owls are pale, and their chest is heavily streaked with brown feathers.

Diet

Like most owls, the Short-Eared owls mostly rely on rodents. You will generally find them feeding on voles, lemmings, pocket mice, and deer mice. Often, they will eat rabbits, bats, muskrats, and rarely bats.

Nesting Preference and Eggs

Most of these owls will nest on the ground with low plants and grasses. And they are known for picking dry sites. During the breeding season, which starts in late April, females can lay anywhere from 1 to 11 eggs.

7. Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)

You will be able to get a glimpse of these birds of prey during their breeding season. And their breeding season is known to start in February and last all the way through August.

Attributes

Burrowing owls are ground-dwelling birds with long legs. Unlike some of the other owl species, these do not have ear tufts. And when it comes to coloration, their bodies mostly have brown feathers with white speckles and spots.

Diet

The diet of Burrowing owls consists of reptiles, small birds, rodents, fish, and large insects. As you can see, their diet is pretty diverse.

Nesting Preference and Eggs

For nesting, Burrowing owls prefer loose soil. They tend to choose spots that have a bit of elevation. That allows them to avoid flooding. Also, places that are near lookout spots, such as road signs, fence spots, and dirt mounds, are their common areas to nest.

If you come across their nest in the breeding season, you will find 2 to 12 ping-pong ball-sized eggs.

8. Long-Eared Owl (Asio otus)

You can find long-eared owls in South Dakota during the summer and spring breeding seasons. However, your chances of spotting them will be low during the summer. They remain on the southern border during that time.

Attributes

The ear tufts of these birds of prey have orange or buff fringes on their face. And as the name suggests, the ear tuft is pretty long. That is one of the unique attributes of these owls.

Besides that, they have yellow eyes and two vertical lines between the eyes. Their body has intricate brown, black, and buff pattern. And their bodies can be categorized as medium-sized.

Diet

Small mammals, such as voles, different kinds of mice, shrews, pocket gophers, kangaroo rats, and young rats, are the primary food source for Long-Eared owls.

Nesting Preference and Eggs

These birds of prey tend to pick abandoned nests of other birds. They will rarely pick natural cavities

of the cliffs or trees as nests. And in the breeding season, you can find 2 to 10 eggs inside their nests.

9. Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)

These owls are mostly present in Canada during the winter seasons. However, you can definitely spot them in South Dakota during the cold months. And your chances of catching them will be high if you look for them in the eastern portion of the state.

Attributes

You will not find it hard to separate a snowy owl from other owls as they have bright white plumage. But that does not mean that they are completely white. Some of them will have brown or black markings throughout their bodies. Also, females tend to have a dense amount of feathers on their bodies.

Diet

Birds, fish, rodents, and rabbits take up most of the portion of the Snowy owl’s diet. However, the favorite food of these birds is lemmings. An adult is known to eat more than 16 hundred lemmings in a year.

Nesting Preference and Eggs

Snowy owls nest on the ground. But they mostly prefer high points to get a better vantage point against predators. Mounds would be a great example. The breeding season of these owls starts between April and May. And they can lay anywhere from 3 to 11 eggs during the season.

10. Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio)

The Eastern Screech owl is present year-round throughout the Eastern part of the United States. And that includes South Dakota. However, you have better luck spotting them in the early fall and warm summer months.

Attributes

One of the standout features of the Eastern Screech owls is that they appear to have no neck at all. And when they are flying, you will notice that their wings are well-rounded and have a square and short tail. Also, their ear tufts are pointy and remain raised most of the time.

Diet

Invertebrates, insects, reptiles, and amphibians are the primary food source for these birds of prey. They will often much on crayfish, katydids, moths, earthworms, frogs, lizards, and tadpoles.

Nesting Preference and Eggs

Easter Screech owls prefer to nest in cavities and holes. They will primarily select the cavities made by woodpeckers and squirrels. Their breeding season starts in early spring or late winter. And females can lay anywhere from 2 to 6 eggs, which are white in color.

Owl Species: Comparison in a Glance

Name	Length	Weight	Wingspan	Commonly Found In	Behavior	Fun Fact
Great Horned Owl	18.1 to  24.8 inches	32.1 88.2 ounces	39.8 to 57.1 inches	Forests, wetlands, grasslands, cities, and backyards.	Fearless and aggressive	The oldest Great Horned Owl is known to have lived for 28 years. But in captivity, one lived for 50 years.
Barred Owl	16.9 to 19.7 inches	16.6 to 37.0 ounces	39.0 to 43.3 inches	Woodlands, wooded swamps, and wooded river bottoms.	Territorial and aggressive	Barred owls typically nest once per year.
Northern Hawk Owl	14.2 to 17.7 inches	8.5 to 16 ounces	28 to 30 inches	Mostly in boreal forests.	They are very aggressive around their nests	Northern Hawk owls stay put when any humans approach them. That’s why they are easy to tame.
Barn Owl	12.6 to 15.8 inches	14.1 to 24.7 ounces	39.4 to 49.2 inches	Mostly in open lowlands. Sometimes in urban areas, plantations, and farmlands.	Generally gentle and calm.	Barn owls are known to swallow their food as a whole.
Northern Saw-Whet Owl	7.1 to 8.3 inches	2.3 to 5.3  ounces	16.5 to 18.9 inches	Mostly in extensive and large forests.	Extrmely patient and docile	Northern Saw-whet owls are one of the smallest owls. They are also known for being polite and gentle.
Short-Eared Owl	13.4 to 17 inches	7.3 to 16.9 ounces	33.5 to 40.5 inches	Grasslands, meadows, marshes, open woodlands, and prairies.	Solitary and fairly aggressive	Short-Eared owls are one of the very few owls that nest on top of grounds.
Burrowing Owl	7.5 to 9.8 inches	Around 5.3 ounces	Around 21.5 inches	Open grasslands, prairies, deserts, and agricultural areas.	Social and not that aggressive	Burrowing Owls are the only species that perch on the ground.
Long-Eared Owl	13.8 to 15.8 inches	7.8  to 15.3 ounces	35.4  to 39.4 inches	Typically around fields, wetlands, and woodlands.	Migratory and highly secretive	Male Long-eared owls can make a loud hoot that can be heard from 1 kilometer away.
Snowy Owl	20.5 to 27.9 inches	56.4 to 104.1 ounces	49.6 to 57.1 inches	Mostly in open and treeless locations.	Aggressive and territorial	The bristles of the snowy owls help them to sense objects nearby.
Eastern Screech Owl	6.3 to 9.8 inches	4.3 to 8.6 ounces	18.9 to 24.0 inches	Suburbs, parks, and wooded forests.	Aggressive while defending their nests	Although they have “screech” in their names, they actually do not screech!

Conclusion

So, if you are in South Dakota, you can expect to see 10 different species of owls. But among all the owls in South Dakota, Great Horned owls are the most common. They are present all year round and are visible in pretty much every part of the state. On the other hand, Barred-owl is the least common, followed by snowy owls.

Resources:

• https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Strix_varia/
• https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Barred_Owl/lifehistory
• https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/bird-cams-faq-barred-owl-nest/
• https://www.nps.gov/articles/northern-hawk-owl.htm
• https://www.hawkmountain.org/raptors/barn-owl#:~:text=They%20have%20a%20longer%20potential,at%20other%20times%20of%20year.
• https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/barn-owl/breeding/
• http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Aegolius_acadicus/
• https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Wildlife/Fact-Sheets/Short-eared-Owl
• https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Short-eared_Owl/lifehistory
• https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/birds/western_burrowing_owl/natural_history.html
• https://science.sandiegozoo.org/science-blog/young-year-development-burrowing-owl
• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/facts/snowy-owl
• https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/screech/#:~:text=Screech%2Dowls%20breed%20in%20late,to%2020’%20off%20the%20ground.

Feature Image Credits: Serhii Brovko, Shutterstock