Owls in North Dakota: Where to See Them and How to Identify Them

Most sightings occur in the Missouri River breaks and the Turtle Mountains. Great Horned Owls and Eastern Screech-Owls favor cottonwood groves along the Missouri and Little Missouri rivers. In the open prairies of the west, Burrowing Owls use old badger dens. For Short-eared Owls, check the grasslands of the Sheyenne National Grassland.

In North Dakota, owls sightings usually improve when you slow down and match your first stop to where in the state sightings are most likely. Use the state wildlife hub and the route guide to narrow your first area, then check access, weather, and distance before you settle in. A short walk with one clear viewing plan often beats covering too much ground, especially when habitat changes fast from open edges to brush, wetlands, timber, shoreline, or neighborhood cover.

Owls are most active at dusk and dawn, so plan your outings for early morning or late afternoon. Late winter (February-March) is ideal for Great Horned Owls as they begin nesting and are more vocal. Fall migration brings more Northern Saw-whet Owls and Long-eared Owls through the state, especially in October.

See our Owls guide for the next step.

Start with size and ear tufts. Great Horned Owls are large (18-25 inches) with prominent ear tufts and yellow eyes. Short-eared Owls are medium, have no ear tufts, and are often seen flying low over grasslands at dusk. Burrowing Owls are small (9-10 inches), long-legged, and often perch on fence posts. Eastern Screech-Owls are small with ear tufts but have a distinctive whinnying call.

See our state animal guide for the next step.

Listen for the deep hooting of Great Horned Owls (five notes: whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-whoo) and the raspy shriek of Barn Owls. Look for whitewash (droppings) and pellets at the base of large trees. Pellets are undigested remains of prey; finding them indicates a roost site. Also check for scratch marks on bark near cavities.

Great Horned Owl, Eastern Screech-Owl, and Burrowing Owl (summer only) are year-round residents. Snowy Owls are irruptive winter visitors from the Arctic, appearing in open fields and along lake shores. Long-eared and Northern Saw-whet Owls pass through during migration but are rarely seen. Short-eared Owls are present in summer and early winter.