Owls in Wyoming: Where to See Them and How to Identify Them

Owls in Wyoming favor a mix of open grasslands and woodlands. You'll find Great Horned Owls in cottonwood stands along rivers, while Burrowing Owls inhabit prairie dog towns in the eastern plains. The Bighorn Mountains and Yellowstone area host Boreal and Great Gray Owls in coniferous forests. Start with the Thunder Basin National Grassland or the Laramie Valley for reliable sightings.

In Wyoming, 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.

Owl activity peaks at dawn and dusk, especially from late winter through early spring when they are nesting. Winter is excellent for spotting Great Horned Owls since trees are bare. Summer evenings offer good chances for listening to calls. Avoid midday: owls are mostly inactive then. Use a flashlight with a red filter to scan roosting spots after dark.

Size and ear tufts are key. Great Horned Owls have prominent tufts and yellow eyes, while Barn Owls have a white heart-shaped face. Burrowing Owls are small and long-legged, often seen on the ground. Compare with hawks: owls have bulky heads, forward-facing eyes, and silent flight. Check our owl identification guide for side-by-side comparisons.

See our state animal guide for the next step.

The Great Horned Owl is the most widespread, found statewide. Barn Owls are common in agricultural valleys like the Big Horn Basin. Burrowing Owls are local but easy to spot in shortgrass prairies. Other species include the Northern Saw-whet Owl in forests and the Short-eared Owl over open fields at dusk. For tracking sightings, visit the Wyoming wildlife page.

Listen for their calls at dusk: the classic hoot of a Great Horned or the screech of a Barn Owl. Watch for whitewash (droppings) under trees and look for silhouettes on fence posts. Use binoculars to scan dense branches. Playback calls can work but use sparingly to avoid disturbing nesting birds. Join local Audubon groups for guided owl prowls.