Barred Owl
Strix
varia
Fairly common, widely distributed, and rapidly increasing. Utilizes mixed and coniferous forests of various ages from sea level to fairly high elevation. Absent from steppe zone of Kittitas County. Still rather scarce during first atlas phase when most surveys in western King County conducted; although not reflected on map, has expanded into this area in ensuing years wherever appropriate forest patches available, including most large city parks. Established in southern Kitsap County since close of atlas period. Smith et al. (1997) characterized Barred Owl as uncommon, but second-phase atlas teams recorded it more frequently than any other large forest owl.
|
