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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.
