Owls are a welcome sight in southern Illinois
Owls have been both persecuted and revered through the ages. Romans, and later the English, saw them as harbingers of death. The ancient Greeks saw them as wise and as the protector of their armies, and struck their images on coinage of the realm. Unlike other birds, owls have eyes in the fronts of their heads, giving them a more human, "wise" look. Since they feed primarily at night, they have very acute hearing; some owls can hear a mouse moving under four feet of snow, or hear a mouse's squeak up to a half mile away. Late winter and early spring are the best times of year to search for them because most larger owls get an early jump on breeding and raising young, sometimes as early as January.
Of our resident owls, the Barred Owl is the one you're most likely to encounter around town or on the trail, sometimes even in the daytime. Their call is often likened to Hoo Hoo Hooaaah. It's a dark brown owl, about 21 inches tall, with a rounded head, barring on its breast, and streaking on its belly. They usually feed on small mammals, but they'll also take fish in streams - either by wading into the water or snatching them off the surface. Good places to hear, and often see this owl, are at Oakwood Bottoms, Mermet Lake, and at Heron Pond.
The Great Horned Owl is our largest owl. It stands 22 inches tall, and has big, powerful talons. It derives its name from its large feathery "ear" tufts that look like horns. Their favorite food is the skunk, but in town they'll also dine on cats and miniature dogs. They have a deep hoot similar to the Barred Owl.
Our smallest breeding owl is the Eastern Screech-Owl. At eight inches tall, it's about the size of a robin. Screech-owls usually catch insects and small mammals for dinner, but will occasionally take birds as large as a grouse! Its quavering whistle is primarily heard at night, but this owl will sometimes respond to imitations of its call in the early morning. They may be found in almost any habitat, from pines to hardwoods, and from swamps to upland woods - I've had good luck at Pyramid State Park and the snake road at LaRue Swamp.
<h3 class="breakHead">Current regional sightings</h3>
Every March we see the first of our spring migrants returning to Illinois from their wintering grounds. One of these early birds is the Louisiana Waterthrush. The waterthrush is a kind of warbler, a small bird that usually breeds in wooded areas and feeds on insects. The Louisiana Waterthrush is six inches long with a brown back, pale, streaked breast, and white eyeline. While you'll find most warblers flitting about the treetops, the waterthrush prefers to hunt for insects along rocky, forested streams, bobbing its tail as it walks along the ground. They build their nests beside streams, usually in a recess or a tangle of roots. In southern Illinois, look for these birds at Giant City State Park (closed at the moment due to the coronavirus), on the Rocky Bluff Trail in Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, and along any of the many rocky streams in the Shawnee National Forest.
<h3 class="breakHead">About the author</h3>
Carbondale is my hometown, where I started birding 50 years ago. I spent an exciting 16 years as a bird guide, and have penned bird-finding books for five Arizona, California, and Illinois counties. I currently reside in Arizona, but visit my father in Carbondale often. You can reach me at HenryDetwiler@earthlink.net.