Spotted Owl
Spotted OwlSpotted OwlSpotted OwlSpotted Owl

Spotted Owl

Strix occidentalis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Zion National Park
23 Verified records at Zion National Park
June Best month highest sighting rate
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's active Active throughout day and night

The spotted owl (Strix occidentalis) is a species of true owl. It is a resident species of old-growth forests in western North America, where it nests in tree hollows, old bird of prey nests, or rock crevices. Nests can be between 12 and 60 metres (40 and 200 ft) from the ground, and usually contain two eggs (though some contain as many as four). It is a nocturnal owl which feeds on small mammals and birds. Three subspecies are recognized, ranging in distribution from British Columbia to Mexico. The spotted owl is under pressure from habitat destruction throughout its range, and is currently classified as a near-threatened species. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Spotted Owl sighting in Zion National Park, based on 23 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Zion National Park

Great Horned Owl
LC Endemic

Great Horned Owl

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Bubo virginianus

<5% · Rare
Northern Pygmy-Owl
LC Endemic

Northern Pygmy-Owl

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Glaucidium gnoma

<5% · Rare
Flammulated Owl
LC

Flammulated Owl

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Psiloscops flammeolus

<5% · Rare
Northern Saw-whet Owl
LC Endemic

Northern Saw-whet Owl

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Aegolius acadicus

Insufficient data
Western Screech-Owl
LC

Western Screech-Owl

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Megascops kennicottii

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
20–30
Mar
10–20
Apr
20–30
May
20–30
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
10–20
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️🌙 When They're Spotted

Active throughout day and night · across all parks (global)

☀️🌙Day & Night
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
2 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
3 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
4 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
5 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
6 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
7 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Spotted Owl in Zion National Park?

About 17% of wildlife watchers report a Spotted Owl sighting in Zion National Park, based on 23 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Spotted Owl in Zion National Park?

June has the highest sighting rate for Spotted Owl in Zion National Park in our monthly data.

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