Duet of Owls

One of my primary methods for conducting citizen science is collecting audio recordings using a long-term recorder. I use the Song Meter Micro, and love its sound quality, and ability to run during nighttime hours for approximately two weeks on one set of AA batteries. I catch more night insects and frogs than I can count, and frequently capture audio of ravens, crows, and the occasional owl. I’ve even caught a few tantalizing percussive sounds that are reminiscent of Sasquatch “wood knocks,” even though the audio is still inconclusive since I don’t have any secondary data source to back up the cause of the sounds.

When reviewing this particular audio file, I was delighted to find both a Northern Saw-whet Owl and a Barred Owl calling at the same time! If you’ve spent any nighttime hours in the forests of the PNW, you’ve probably heard the familiar “who cooks for you? who cooks for you all?” call of the Barred Owl. But I was initially stumped when I started hearing what I thought of as the “back-up beeping bird” on my audio recorder - it seriously sounded like a large truck backing up in the middle of the forest at 3:00am... After a bit of research and checking with trusted sources, I determined that the culprit was the Northern Saw-whet Owl!

I hope you enjoy the duet of these two beautiful owl species, and maybe next time you’re in the woods after dark, they’ll hoot (or beep, or cook) for you too!