Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Krun assumed (based on copyright claims). / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Owls

Northern Hawk-Owl

Surnia ulula

Northern Hawk-Owl (Surnia ulula) — Owls of North America.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Canada Birds of Germany Birds of the United Kingdom Birds of the Netherlands Birds of the United States Birds of Alberta Birds of British Columbia Birds of Manitoba Birds of New Brunswick Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador

By family

Owls of Canada Owls of Germany Owls of the United Kingdom Owls of the Netherlands Owls of the United States Owls of Alberta Owls of British Columbia Owls of Manitoba Owls of New Brunswick Owls of Newfoundland and Labrador

See what's near you right now

The Northern Hawk-Owl (Surnia ulula) is a member of the Strigidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 320 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Strigiformes
Family Strigidae Owls
Genus Surnia
Species ulula

Where it lives

Northern

Quick facts

Weight: 320 g
Diet: Vertebrate hunters
Family: Strigidae
Order: Strigiformes
Habitat: Grassland & open country

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Northern Hawk-Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of open grassland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.

Migration

The Northern Hawk-Owl is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Northern Hawk-Owl (Surnia ulula) is a member of the Strigidae family, within the order Strigiformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Its distribution covers NA, PAL n.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 320 g, with a wing length of about 23.1 cm and a tail of around 18.6 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 21.1 million km² — a very large global range.

Songs & calls

Northern Hawk-Owl — Call

Recorded by Marc Anderson Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Northern Hawk-Owl?

The Northern Hawk-Owl is a large bird that weighs around 320 g.

Where does the Northern Hawk-Owl live?

The Northern Hawk-Owl is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering NA, PAL n, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.

What family does the Northern Hawk-Owl belong to?

The Northern Hawk-Owl (Surnia ulula) belongs to the Strigidae family, in the order Strigiformes.

What does the Northern Hawk-Owl eat?

The Northern Hawk-Owl preys mainly on other vertebrates.

Does the Northern Hawk-Owl migrate?

The Northern Hawk-Owl is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Northern Hawk-Owl endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Northern Hawk-Owl make?

1 real field recording of the Northern Hawk-Owl — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Northern Hawk-Owl's range?

The Northern Hawk-Owl has a mapped global range of about 21.1 million km².