Barred Owl Mating Season in Northern Michigan

QUICK NOTE: This recording has a fair bit of noise pollution in the form of traffic and the occasional aircraft. I was a couple of miles away from where I wanted to record but heard the owls starting their calls so wanted to record them. My apologies but I really think this recording is amazing and I wanted to share it with you.

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Greetings! Let’s talk about the barred owl mating season in northern Michigan. It’s a pretty exciting time for these nocturnal birds, and things can get lively out there in the forest. Mating lasts from February to April. The male barred owls become incredibly vocal during this period and create various sounds to draw in the female barred owls. They will use loud noises such as hooting, barking, and screaming in order to make their thoughts and feelings known. We humans, much like many other species, take the time to groom ourselves before heading out on a night of revelry and adventure. 

Once a male has caught the attention of a female, the real show begins. He’ll do all kinds of courtship displays like bowing, bobbing, and swaying. And if that’s not enough, he’ll even bring her gifts as food offerings. As Sade famously sang, he’s a smooth operator! The saxophone solo makes it true. 

If all of this impressed the female, the two lovebirds will mate and she’ll lay 2-4 eggs in a tree cavity or an abandoned nest. Both parents will take turns incubating the eggs and caring for the young once they hatch, which usually happens after around 30 days.

All in all, the barred owl mating season is a pretty important time for these birds. Without successful reproduction, their populations in northern Michigan could be in trouble. So, let’s wish them luck as they navigate the trials and tribulations of love in the forest!

I recorded this episode near my home on the Muncie Lakes Pathway. This is one of my favorite areas to go birding and hike the trails. In fact, I recorded the very first episode of this podcast in the same location. Knowing there was going to be gusting wind through the overnight, I opted for the Audio-Technica BP4025 microphone. I have great wind protection gear for this microphone in the Rycote Windshield and the Rycote Windjammer. While not perfect, this configuration does a respectable job in blocking the wind. It’s probably not a surprise at this point in our journey, but I used the Zoom F3 Field Recorder to capture the owls and coyotes. I can’t say enough good things about the Zoom F3 and reach for it nearly every trip into the forest. 

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