Owls Near Me › North Dakota

Owls in North Dakota

The quickest way to know which owls live in North Dakota is to see what people are actually finding. The map below shows recent, verified owls sightings across North Dakota, 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 North Dakota.

Owls seen most often in North Dakota

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

Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
152 observations
Snowy Owl
Bubo scandiacus
60 observations
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeus
43 observations
Burrowing Owl
Athene cunicularia
36 observations
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius acadicus
27 observations
Barred Owl
Strix varia
26 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 North Dakota. Treat this as a live snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

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More wildlife in North Dakota

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

Common questions

What owls live in North Dakota?

Commonly recorded owls in North Dakota include Great Horned Owl, Snowy Owl, Short-eared Owl, Burrowing Owl, Northern Saw-whet 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 North Dakota?

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

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