Empathy List Archives

CL

Christopher Loscalzo

Fri, Oct 30, 2026 3:33 PM

This is in reply to Aaron’s question about owls. We also hear both Great Horned and Barred Owls on a regular basis here in Woodbridge with the Barred more common and vocal. That both reside in one area is not surprising as they favor different habitats for feeding/hunting. Great Horned Owls favor open fields and meadows while Barred Owls favor open woods and swamps. One useful way to think about these species is as the nocturnal equivalents to daytime raptors that are common here: the Red-tailed Hawk for the Great Horned Owl and the Red-shouldered Hawk for the Barred Owl. If you want to have some fun, you can think of additional pairings. I think of Northern Harrier and Short-eared Owl as sharing similar habitats and Rough-legged Hawk and Snowy Owl as doing so as well. These associations can come in handy when you’re out birding.
Thanks!
Chris Loscalzo
Woodbridge
Sent from my iPhone

This is in reply to Aaron’s question about owls. We also hear both Great Horned and Barred Owls on a regular basis here in Woodbridge with the Barred more common and vocal. That both reside in one area is not surprising as they favor different habitats for feeding/hunting. Great Horned Owls favor open fields and meadows while Barred Owls favor open woods and swamps. One useful way to think about these species is as the nocturnal equivalents to daytime raptors that are common here: the Red-tailed Hawk for the Great Horned Owl and the Red-shouldered Hawk for the Barred Owl. If you want to have some fun, you can think of additional pairings. I think of Northern Harrier and Short-eared Owl as sharing similar habitats and Rough-legged Hawk and Snowy Owl as doing so as well. These associations can come in handy when you’re out birding. Thanks! Chris Loscalzo Woodbridge Sent from my iPhone

I

imbercj (at) comcast.net

Fri, Oct 30, 2026 5:27 PM

Hi Chris -

This is interesting because my experience with Great Horned and Barred owls is completely the opposite. I occasionally get both these species in my neighborhood, but rarely, if ever, at the same time. And when I have either of those species, I rarely get Saw-whet or Screech owls.

I mentioned this to someone just a couple weeks back and they said that a Great Horned owl will attack and kill a Barred. Not sure if that is true; but it might explain my mutually exclusive observations.

Of course there is also the very distinct possibility that these species are present together but unobserved. They are owls after all and I often hear them by chance. I certainly might be missing one of them!

Chuck Imbergamo
CT Birds Moderator
Madison

From: Christopher Loscalzo via CTBirds ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org
Sent: Friday, October 30, 2026 11:33 AM
To: Birds CT ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org
Subject: [CT Birds] Owls

This is in reply to Aaron’s question about owls. We also hear both Great Horned and Barred Owls on a regular basis here in Woodbridge with the Barred more common and vocal. That both reside in one area is not surprising as they favor different habitats for feeding/hunting. Great Horned Owls favor open fields and meadows while Barred Owls favor open woods and swamps. One useful way to think about these species is as the nocturnal equivalents to daytime raptors that are common here: the Red-tailed Hawk for the Great Horned Owl and the Red-shouldered Hawk for the Barred Owl. If you want to have some fun, you can think of additional pairings. I think of Northern Harrier and Short-eared Owl as sharing similar habitats and Rough-legged Hawk and Snowy Owl as doing so as well. These associations can come in handy when you’re out birding.
Thanks!
Chris Loscalzo
Woodbridge
Sent from my iPhone

To subscribe or unsubscribe via email, send an email with just "join" or "leave" in the subject or body to: ctbirds-request@lists.ctbirding.org

CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/

CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/

Hi Chris - This is interesting because my experience with Great Horned and Barred owls is completely the opposite. I occasionally get both these species in my neighborhood, but rarely, if ever, at the same time. And when I have either of those species, I rarely get Saw-whet or Screech owls. I mentioned this to someone just a couple weeks back and they said that a Great Horned owl will attack and kill a Barred. Not sure if that is true; but it might explain my mutually exclusive observations. Of course there is also the very distinct possibility that these species are present together but unobserved. They are owls after all and I often hear them by chance. I certainly might be missing one of them! Chuck Imbergamo CT Birds Moderator Madison ________________________________ From: Christopher Loscalzo via CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> Sent: Friday, October 30, 2026 11:33 AM To: Birds CT <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> Subject: [CT Birds] Owls This is in reply to Aaron’s question about owls. We also hear both Great Horned and Barred Owls on a regular basis here in Woodbridge with the Barred more common and vocal. That both reside in one area is not surprising as they favor different habitats for feeding/hunting. Great Horned Owls favor open fields and meadows while Barred Owls favor open woods and swamps. One useful way to think about these species is as the nocturnal equivalents to daytime raptors that are common here: the Red-tailed Hawk for the Great Horned Owl and the Red-shouldered Hawk for the Barred Owl. If you want to have some fun, you can think of additional pairings. I think of Northern Harrier and Short-eared Owl as sharing similar habitats and Rough-legged Hawk and Snowy Owl as doing so as well. These associations can come in handy when you’re out birding. Thanks! Chris Loscalzo Woodbridge Sent from my iPhone To subscribe or unsubscribe via email, send an email with just "join" or "leave" in the subject or body to: ctbirds-request@lists.ctbirding.org CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/

AD

Aaron Dollar

Fri, Oct 30, 2026 5:48 PM

I don't have any open fields near me, just woods with some houses sprinkled in, generally without large grass yards. And both species are in the exact same areas, roosting in the same trees (not at the same time, obviously).

Get Outlook for Androidhttps://aka.ms/AAb9ysg

From: imbercj--- via CTBirds ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org
Sent: Friday, 30 October 2026 13:27:56
To: Christopher Loscalzo loscalzo969@gmail.com
Cc: CT Birds ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org
Subject: [CT Birds] Re: Owls

Hi Chris -

This is interesting because my experience with Great Horned and Barred owls is completely the opposite. I occasionally get both these species in my neighborhood, but rarely, if ever, at the same time. And when I have either of those species, I rarely get Saw-whet or Screech owls.

I mentioned this to someone just a couple weeks back and they said that a Great Horned owl will attack and kill a Barred. Not sure if that is true; but it might explain my mutually exclusive observations.

Of course there is also the very distinct possibility that these species are present together but unobserved. They are owls after all and I often hear them by chance. I certainly might be missing one of them!

Chuck Imbergamo
CT Birds Moderator
Madison

From: Christopher Loscalzo via CTBirds ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org
Sent: Friday, October 30, 2026 11:33 AM
To: Birds CT ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org
Subject: [CT Birds] Owls

This is in reply to Aaron’s question about owls. We also hear both Great Horned and Barred Owls on a regular basis here in Woodbridge with the Barred more common and vocal. That both reside in one area is not surprising as they favor different habitats for feeding/hunting. Great Horned Owls favor open fields and meadows while Barred Owls favor open woods and swamps. One useful way to think about these species is as the nocturnal equivalents to daytime raptors that are common here: the Red-tailed Hawk for the Great Horned Owl and the Red-shouldered Hawk for the Barred Owl. If you want to have some fun, you can think of additional pairings. I think of Northern Harrier and Short-eared Owl as sharing similar habitats and Rough-legged Hawk and Snowy Owl as doing so as well. These associations can come in handy when you’re out birding.
Thanks!
Chris Loscalzo
Woodbridge
Sent from my iPhone

To subscribe or unsubscribe via email, send an email with just "join" or "leave" in the subject or body to: ctbirds-request@lists.ctbirding.org

CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/

CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/

To subscribe or unsubscribe via email, send an email with just "join" or "leave" in the subject or body to: ctbirds-request@lists.ctbirding.org

CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/

CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/

I don't have any open fields near me, just woods with some houses sprinkled in, generally without large grass yards. And both species are in the exact same areas, roosting in the same trees (not at the same time, obviously). Get Outlook for Android<https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg> ________________________________ From: imbercj--- via CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> Sent: Friday, 30 October 2026 13:27:56 To: Christopher Loscalzo <loscalzo969@gmail.com> Cc: CT Birds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> Subject: [CT Birds] Re: Owls Hi Chris - This is interesting because my experience with Great Horned and Barred owls is completely the opposite. I occasionally get both these species in my neighborhood, but rarely, if ever, at the same time. And when I have either of those species, I rarely get Saw-whet or Screech owls. I mentioned this to someone just a couple weeks back and they said that a Great Horned owl will attack and kill a Barred. Not sure if that is true; but it might explain my mutually exclusive observations. Of course there is also the very distinct possibility that these species are present together but unobserved. They are owls after all and I often hear them by chance. I certainly might be missing one of them! Chuck Imbergamo CT Birds Moderator Madison ________________________________ From: Christopher Loscalzo via CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> Sent: Friday, October 30, 2026 11:33 AM To: Birds CT <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> Subject: [CT Birds] Owls This is in reply to Aaron’s question about owls. We also hear both Great Horned and Barred Owls on a regular basis here in Woodbridge with the Barred more common and vocal. That both reside in one area is not surprising as they favor different habitats for feeding/hunting. Great Horned Owls favor open fields and meadows while Barred Owls favor open woods and swamps. One useful way to think about these species is as the nocturnal equivalents to daytime raptors that are common here: the Red-tailed Hawk for the Great Horned Owl and the Red-shouldered Hawk for the Barred Owl. If you want to have some fun, you can think of additional pairings. I think of Northern Harrier and Short-eared Owl as sharing similar habitats and Rough-legged Hawk and Snowy Owl as doing so as well. These associations can come in handy when you’re out birding. Thanks! Chris Loscalzo Woodbridge Sent from my iPhone To subscribe or unsubscribe via email, send an email with just "join" or "leave" in the subject or body to: ctbirds-request@lists.ctbirding.org CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/ To subscribe or unsubscribe via email, send an email with just "join" or "leave" in the subject or body to: ctbirds-request@lists.ctbirding.org CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/ CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/