The barred owl (Strix varia) is a large owl native to North America. Its range extends across much of the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. Barred owls are year-round residents across most of their range. In recent decades, barred owls have expanded their range westward across the Great Plains and into the Pacific Northwest. This expansion has brought barred owls into conflict with the smaller northern spotted owl in some areas. The barred owl’s adaptability and ability to thrive in human-altered habitats have contributed to its expanded range. But are barred owls actually native to the state of Georgia?
Barred Owl Range and Habitat
The barred owl has an expansive range across eastern North America. The species is found from southern Canada south throughout the eastern United States. Its range extends as far west as eastern Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. Barred owls also occur in pockets along the West Coast from southern British Columbia to northern California.
Within their range, barred owls occupy a variety of wooded habitats. They thrive in mature forests as well as younger secondary growth forests and wooded suburban and urban areas. Barred owls are flexible in their habitat requirements. They can be found in both coniferous and deciduous forests. The presence of large, old trees with cavities for nesting and dense cover for roosting and hiding prey are key habitat components.
Barred Owl Range in Georgia
Georgia falls well within the historic native range of the barred owl. The species occurs statewide and can be found throughout Georgia’s diverse forested habitats.
| Region | Example Locations |
|---|---|
| Northern Georgia | Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest |
| Central Georgia | Ocmulgee National Monument |
| Coastal Georgia | Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge |
Barred owls occupy pine forests, cypress swamps, mixed forests, and wooded urban areas throughout the state. They are one of the most common and widespread owl species found in Georgia.
Evidence of Native Status
Several key facts indicate that barred owls are native to Georgia and not a recent arrival:
- Fossil records show barred owls have occurred in the southeastern U.S. for over 10,000 years.
- The species was originally described by naturalist Mark Catesby in southeastern coastal regions in 1731.
- Barred owls appear in Cherokee legends and were known to Southeastern Native American tribes.
- Early naturalists documented barred owls as common in Georgia in the late 1700s and 1800s.
- The species occurs statewide rather than just in isolated pockets of range expansion.
The barred owl’s long-term presence throughout Georgia provides strong evidence that the species is a natural component of the state’s avifauna and not a recent arrival.
Comparisons to Range Expansions Elsewhere
While barred owls are native to Georgia, some parts of the species’ range have expanded dramatically in modern times. The most notable example is the relatively recent spread of barred owls down the Pacific Coast into Washington, Oregon, and California.
This west coast expansion began in the 1900s. By the 1960s, the species had spread from British Columbia down through western Washington. Barred owls continued spreading southward, arriving in Oregon in the 1970s and California in the 1980s.
In contrast, barred owls have inhabited Georgia and the greater Southeast for thousands of years without evidence of recent major range expansions. Early naturalist accounts do not describe the species as a new arrival but rather as an established resident.
Effects on Spotted Owls
An interesting aspect of the barred owl’s west coast expansion is its impacts on the smaller northern spotted owl. As barred owls moved into the range of the threatened spotted owl, concerns emerged over competition between these two species.
Evidence suggests that the larger and more aggressive barred owls are displacing spotted owls from territories, reducing their reproduction, and altering their behavior. This pressure from barred owl competition is an added threat to the already declining spotted owl population.
In Georgia, the ranges of the spotted owl and barred owl do broadly overlap. But there are no indications of major impacts from barred owls on spotted owls in this region. The two species likely evolved together over thousands of years in the Southeast. So the presence of barred owls is not an unnatural disturbance pressure for southeastern spotted owls.
Conclusion
In conclusion, substantial evidence indicates that barred owls are native to Georgia and not the result of a recent range expansion. The species has existed in the state for thousands of years, as demonstrated by fossil records, Native American cultures, and early naturalist accounts.
Barred owls occur statewide in natural habitats rather than just at the leading edge of an expanding population. And comparisons to true range expansions in the Pacific Northwest highlight the different pattern seen in Georgia. The barred owl’s long-standing presence as a natural component of Georgia’s avifauna distinguishes it from the species’ relatively recent arrival in parts of the western United States.
