Whooo’s Wooing? Owl Mating Season Hits Northern Illinois
I'll make no secret of the fact that I absolutely love owls. Always have, beginning with moving into a neighborhood that bordered a decently-sized forest when I was a kid.
Since our neighborhood had no streetlights and thousands of mature trees, hearing owls hooting at night was a very common occurrence, even though it totally freaked me out at first.
Here in Illinois, we've got 9 of the 19 total species of owls that can be found throughout the United States, so we've got quite a population of different types of owls.
Let's start with my personal favorite, the Great Horned Owl.
The Great Horned Owls Of Northern Illinois Are Looking For Love
If you’ve been hearing a lot of hooting in the wee hours around Rockford and throughout Northern Illinois lately, don’t worry, you’re not losing it. That's because we're in the middle of Northern Illinois’ great horned owl mating season. That’s right, those night hunters that usually keep to themselves are out and about, wooing and staking their claims.
Great horned owls are one of the first bird species to start breeding each year, often as early as January and February here in Illinois. So, those eerie calls echoing from neighborhood trees, water towers, or even radio station towers? That’s courtship. The males are calling to attract females, letting them know that they're single and ready to mingle.
These owls are fascinating creatures. They’re large, powerful birds with impressive wingspans of around four to five feet. And despite their size, they can swoop silently through the night, like the predators they are. The mating hoots aren’t just random noise, they’re carefully timed, repeated calls that can carry over a mile or more in the quiet winter air.
Here Are Some Of The Other Species Of Owl That Call Illinois Home
As I mentioned, there are 19 species of owls in the United States, and nine of them can be found right here in the Land of Lincoln. We've already covered the great horned owl, so here are the 8 others you might see here in Illinois:
Eastern Screech-Owl: Small, with a trilling or whinnying call; can be gray or reddish.
Barred Owl: Known for its “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?” call; prefers wooded areas.
Barn Owl: Pale, heart-faced, silent hunter; often around barns or open fields.
Long-eared Owl: Slim, with long ear tufts, prefers dense coniferous woods.
Short-eared Owl: More of an open-field owl; active at dusk and dawn.
Northern Saw-whet Owl: Tiny and elusive; high-pitched, repetitive whistle.
Snowy Owl: Winter visitor from the Arctic; striking white with dark markings.
Boreal Owl: Rare in Illinois; mainly northern woods, very secretive.
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Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz