Bird Quiz: Northern Hawk Owl

A Northern hawk owl spotted north of Alberta. Photo: Anne Elliott

Who doesn’t love owls? This medium-sized species spends much of its time in boreal forests of Canada. But when the wintertime freeze causes the food supply to decrease or disappear, the northern hawk owl “irrupts” south (much like the snowy owl irruption we experienced last year).

Want to learn more about these brown-striped birds? Take our quiz below to determine how much you know about them. Scroll past the picture below for the answers.

1. From how far away can the hawk owl see prey?
a. 50 feet
b. 1/4 mile
c. 1/2 mile
d. 3/4 mile

2. What characteristic distinguishes this species from other owls?
a. long, tapered tail
b. short, pointed ears
c. a yellow bill
d. none of the above

3. True or False: The northern hawk owl is the only species in its genus.

4. Which animal is a northern hawk owl predator?
a. great horned owl
b. northern goshawk
c. weasel
d. all of the above

5. True or False: These owls don’t bring in new materials to build a nest but rather use move-in ready cavities.

Photo: Anne Elliott

Answers
1. From how far away can the hawk owl see prey?
C, 1/2 a mile, according to Cornell’s All About Birds. That’s 800 meters (twice around an outdoor track, for some perspective). Not too bad! The small mammals—particularly voles, lemmings, and other rodents—that make up the owl’s primary food source don’t stand a chance, especially because the birds can also detect them scurrying under snow a foot deep.

2. What characteristic distinguishes this species from other owls?
A, long, tapered tail. The bird, which rarely sits upright but rather is always on alert, ready to pounce on prey, also has short and pointy wings and brown bars on its underparts. According to Birds of North America Online, it strongly resembles the Cooper’s hawk—hence the apropos name.

3. True or False: The northern hawk owl is the only species in its genus.
True. The genus Surnia falls into the Strigidae family and the Strigiformes order—the groups into which most other typical owls fall.

4. Which animal is a northern hawk owl predator?
D, all of the above. Weasels, fishers, and martens will kill hawk owl fledglings. Northern goshawks and great horned owls also attack adults of this species; in fact, at least one study showed the latter going after adults roosting at night. “To avoid predation, the Northern Hawk Owl flattens its plumage and stands erect,” according to the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Animal Diversity Web. “Also, it attempts to intercept predators that attack its nest.”

5. True or False: These owls don’t bring in new materials to build a nest but rather use move-in ready cavities.
True. These birds are no fools. Why do extra work when cavities in dead trees are readily available? They like “open decayed hollows where treetops have broken off, burnt-out stumps, and vacant woodpecker nests,” notes Birds of North America online.