Owls in California

California is the third-largest state in the United States after Alaska and Texas, with an appropriately high level of geographical diversity. As a result, California is home to 16 owl species. One of them, the Barred Owl, has adapted well to the state’s old-growth forests despite not initially being native to California.

All owls in California remain protected under federal law. However, some of them are still at risk due to myriad factors. For instance, the population of the Burrowing Owl has dropped by 60% since the 1980s due to a loss of habitat. It is also worth noting that both the Northern and California subspecies of the Spotted Owl have been competing for resources with the aforementioned Barred Owl and failing to keep up.

List of Owls in California

Name	Average Size	Status	Where Do They Live in the State?	Mating Season
Small Owls
Northern Pygmy Owl	Length: 5.9–6.7 inches Wingspan: 12 inches	Native	Common throughout the state, excluding a few places like the Central Valley, the Modoc Plateau, and a few arid regions with a distinct lack of trees	Spring to early summer (Late April to June)
Burrowing Owl	Length: 9-11 inches Wingspan: 21-24 inches	Native	Lives underground in places like the Central Valley, the Imperial Valley, the Mojave Desert, and even coastal areas like the San Francisco Bay	Late winter to early spring (February to August)
Elf Owl	Length: 4.9-5.7 inches Wingspan: 10.5 inches	Native	Limited range, spotted infrequently in San Bernardino as well as in riparian habitats close to the Colorado River	Late spring to summer (April to July)
Flammulated Owl	Length: 6.5-7.5 inches Wingspan: 12-15 inches	Native	Fairly common in northwestern California, around the Sierra Nevada foothills, Yosemite National Park, and Sequoia National Forest	Late spring to early summer (mid-April to July)
Western Screech Owl	Length: 8.7 inches Wingspan: 22 inches	Native	Common in wooded areas, with sightings in the Sierra Nevada, as well as parks in urban areas like Griffith Park in LA	Late winter to early summer (February to May)
Whiskered Screech Owl	Length: 6.3-7.9 inches Wingspan: 17.3 inches	Accidental	Rare, with a few occasional sightings in southern California along the Colorado River in places like Blythe and the Imperial Valley	Late spring to early summer (April to May); breeding populations have been observed in February in California
Northern Saw-whet Owl	Length: 7 – 8 inches Wingspan: 17-22 inches	Native	Fairly common in northern California, with sightings in the Klamath Mountains, the Lassen National Forest, and around the Oregon border	Spring (March to April)
Boreal Owl	Length: 8.7–10.6 inches Wingspan: 20–24 inches	Accidental	Extremely rare, limited to a few unconfirmed sightings	Early February to early May, depending on the availability of prey
Large Owls
Barn Owl	Length: 12-16 inches Wingspan: 42-43 inches	Native	Extremely common except in a few mountainous areas, with most sightings in the Central Valley	Year-round, with peaks in late winter and spring (March to June)
Great Horned Owl	Length: 18-25 inches Wingspan: 40-60 inches	Native	Very common in California and can be spotted year-round, with sightings in the Central Valley, the Los Angeles Basin, and the Sierra Nevada	Late fall to early winter (November to January)
Barred Owl	Length: 16-24 inches Wingspan: 16-24 inches	Native	Common in old-growth forests, it has thrived throughout the state, especially in the Sacramento River Delta and the Humboldt Redwoods State Park	Late winter to spring (February to April)
Snowy Owl	Length: 20-27 inches Wingspan: 49-58 inches	Native	While this owl remains rare, there have been enough sightings to verify its existence here	Varies by region and based on prey availability (any time between May and September)
Long-eared Owl	Length: 13-16 inches Wingspan: 24-40 inches	Native	While this owl remains common, it has been extirpated from the Central Valley and the southern coast	Late winter to Spring (February to April)
Short-eared Owl	Length: 13-17 inches Wingspan: 33-43 inches	Native	Relatively uncommon, with most sightings taking place in northeastern California around Suisun Marsh	Varies, often in early spring (March to September)
Spotted Owl — Northern — California	Length: 17 inches Wingspan: 45 inches	Native	Both sub-species can be seen in the southern Cascade Range in northern California as well as in the Sierra Nevada and the Transverse, the Peninsular, and the Coast Ranges	Early spring to late summer (February to August)
Great Gray Owl	Length: 24-33 inches Wingspan: 4-5 feet	Native	Relatively rare, with most sightings in the Sierra Nevada and certain counties like Lassen, Modoc, and Siskiyou	Spring to early summer (March to May)

Where Can You See Owls in California

Barn and Great Horned Owls are commonly seen in Los Padres National Forest, which is usually open from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Sightings of the Spotted and Great Gray Owls occur in Yosemite National Park at night, while the Burrowing Owl can be seen while exploring the Bay Area during the day.