One of the reasons I spend so much time outdoors in nature is to revel in the quiet. No traffic noise, no cell phone beeps, no crowds of people. It’s time to immerse myself in an environment that is not mine but rather belongs to the wildlife that lives here. It’s their world and we are just the visitors. Sometimes these local residents make their presence known, and it’s pretty cool when they do. One of my favorite sounds of nature is the unique call of the barred owl. Even from a distance, it’s an unmistakable signal that all is that it should be in the woods.

The barred owl is a large, North American owl with more subdued hues than its more colorful kin.
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The barred owl's call is quite distinctive - a series of eight hoots that can be remembered by using the mnemonic "Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all." Listen to the barred owl's call. I've been fortunate to hear this over my head at a campsite and it's really something.
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While not strictly limited to New Hampshire, these birds are plentiful in the region's wild forests.
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Their preferred habitat is deciduous, mixed forests due to the abundance of nest site possibilities and fewer branches to obscure hunting.
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Barred owls are cavity nesters and will seek out tree hollows and snags in which to breed and raise their young.
William H. Majoros/Wikimedia Commons
Though owls are generally more nocturnal, there's a chance you might see one any time of the day and in any season if you are exploring the woods.
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The ecology of New Hampshire provides barred owls with a steady diet of voles, invertebrates, small birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
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To learn more about the call of the barred owl and their natural place in the environment, visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. And next time you are birdwatching in the woods, keep an ear out and you may just hear their call (or even see them)!

Also take this wild adventure cruise for a chance to spot bald eagles in the wild in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region:

Plot A Course For Bald Eagles On This Wild New Hampshire Adventure Cruise

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