Owls Near Me › Minnesota

Owls in Minnesota

The quickest way to know which owls live in Minnesota is to see what people are actually finding. The map below shows recent, verified owls sightings across Minnesota, and the list beneath it is the owls recorded most often there lately. Owls are heard far more often than seen. Go out at dusk or after dark and learn the local calls first, especially on autumn and winter nights.

Recent research-grade sightings from the iNaturalist community, filtered to owls across Minnesota.

Owls seen most often in Minnesota

Ranked by recent research-grade observations. Tap any species Huck has catalogued for how to identify it, its habitat, and its safety notes.

Barred Owl
Strix varia
2,224 observations
Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
1,266 observations
Great Gray Owl
Strix nebulosa
930 observations
Snowy Owl
Bubo scandiacus
529 observations
Northern Hawk Owl
Surnia ulula
508 observations
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius acadicus
410 observations

Built from recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. Identifications are community-sourced and the ranking reflects where people record wildlife, so a species seen often here is not necessarily common everywhere in Minnesota. Treat this as a live snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

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More wildlife in Minnesota

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Looking more widely? See owls near you anywhere in the country.

Common questions

What owls live in Minnesota?

Commonly recorded owls in Minnesota include Barred Owl, Great Horned Owl, Great Gray Owl, Snowy Owl, Northern Hawk Owl, based on recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. The full list below is ranked by how often each has been seen lately.

When is the best time to see owls in Minnesota?

Owls are heard far more often than seen. Recent verified sightings across Minnesota are the most reliable guide to what is active right now.

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