Owls in Georgia

Georgia is home to around 9 species of owls. Only 4 of them are known to live in the state year-round – the Great Horned Owl, the Barred Owl, the Eastern Screech Owl, and the Barn Owl – with the rest either vagrants or only living in Georgia for a few months.

List of Owls in Georgia

Name	Average Size	Status	Where Do They Live in the State	Mating Season
Small Owls
Eastern Screech Owl	Length: 6-10 inches Wingspan: 18-24 inches	Native	Extremely common and can be seen in most rural and suburban areas	Late winter to early spring (February to April)
Burrowing Owl	Length: 9-11 inches Wingspan:  21-24 inches	Accidental	Rare visitors, though the owls that have moved here seemingly adapted well	Late winter to early spring (February to August)
Northern Saw-whet Owl	Length: 7 – 8 inches Wingspan: 17-22 inches	Accidental	Rarely seen, with a few sightings in the dense coniferous forests of northern Georgia like the Chattahoochee National Forest	Spring (March to April)
Large Owls
Barn Owl	Length: 12-16 inches Wingspan: 42-43 inches	Native	Fairly common, with breeding populations throughout the state	Year-round, with peaks in late winter and spring (March to June)
Great Horned Owl	Length: 18-25 inches Wingspan: 40-60 inches	Native	Very common, even in cities like Atlanta, where they often nest in high-rises	Late fall to early winter (November to January)
Barred Owl	Length: 16-24 inches Wingspan: 16-24 inches	Native	Common in southern Georgia, especially close to swamps	Late winter to spring (February to April)
Short-eared Owl	Length: 13-17 inches Wingspan: 33-43 inches	Native	Sightings mostly take place in southern Georgia, in marshes like Okefenokee Swamp	Varies, often in early spring (March to June, peaking in April)
Snowy Owl	Length: 20-27 inches Wingspan: 49-58 inches	Accidental	These owls visit Georgia during the colder months, with sightings in Sea Island, St. Simon’s Island, St. Catherine’s Island, and Tybee Island	Varies by region and based on prey availability (any time between May and September)
Long-eared Owl	Length: 13-16 inches Wingspan: 24-40 inches	Accidental	Rare vagrants that are occasionally seen in forests in the northern part of the state	Late winter to early spring (February to April)

Where Can You See Owls in Georgia

In northern Georgia, Chicopee Woods Nature Preserve is a great place to see the Long-eared Owl, while in central Georgia, Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge is home to the Great Horned Owl, the Barn Owl, the Barred Owl, and the Short-eared Owl. However, these owls are only sometimes visible or even present year-round, so it is important to remember their breeding seasons, as that is when they are most likely to be around.