This is a barred owl! Note the overall light grey plumage with horizonal brown stripes under the head and vertical brown bars down the chest and belly. These brown bars are where "barred" owls get their name! This owl's facial disc is also light grey and it has a bright yellow beak.

This is a barred owl! It is especially tricky to tell a barred owl from a spotted owl from the back, but it does help when their head is facing backwards! Although barred owls have brown backs, they are not as dark as spotted owls, and tend to have more white checkering throughout. This owl also has a very light facial disc, which is clearly lighter than a spotted owl's. It is important to keep in mind that there is color variation among barred owls - some may be darker than others. Lastly, take a look at the tree it is sitting in - spotted owls are NOT found in deciduous forests.

This is a spotted owl! Note the overall dark chocolate brown plumage with horizontal white spots across the body. These spots, as well as the spots on the tops of their heads, are where "spotted" owls get their name! They also have a much browner facial disc than barred bwls, and have a distinct white X around their beak and eyes, giving them a little eyebrow and mustache look. Lastly, their beak is a much duller yellow than a barred owl's.

Note: all the photos of spotted owls in this quiz are of owls at the NSOBP, so the backgrounds may contain manmade structures.

This is a barred owl! Again, note the overall light grey plumage and distinct vertical brown barring. Another good clue is this owl is sitting on a fencepost, meaning it is near human development. Spotted owls live exclusively in old growth forest and are not found near humans.

This is a spotted owl! Note the dark chocolate brown plumage with horizontal white spots. This owl also has a brown facial disc with a distinct white X and a dull yellow beak.

This is a spotted owl! While both barred owls and spotted owls look dark from the back, spotted owls are a darker brown and have small white spots throughout. Barred owls have more white and brown checkering on their back as opposed to the small white accents seen here. Since this owl's head is facing backwards you can also see the brown facial disc with the white X around the beak and eyes.

This is a barred owl! This one is a little trickier because this owl is molting, so he looks scruffier and darker than normal. However you can still tell it is a barred owl based on the lighter overall color, more white throughout the back, and the light facial disc. Again, remember location - this owl is not in an old growth forest, effectively eliminating the possibility of a spotted owl.

This is a spotted owl! This owl is a dark chocolate brown with horizontal white spots across the body. It has a brown facial disc with a white X and a dull yellow beak. This is also a good example of the white spots spotted owls have on the top of their heads.

This is a barred owl! This owl is light grey overall, and though a bit far away you can make out the vertical brown barring down its front. Remembering location, this owl is not in an old growth forest, so it is not a spotted owl.

This is a spotted owl! This photo is a bit dark but you can tell the owl is dark brown with horizontal white spots. The white X around the eyes and beak especially stands out in this photo against the brown facial disc.

This is a spotted owl! Dark chocolate brown? Check. Horizontal white spots? Check. Brown facial disc with white X? Check. Because we are seeing this owl from the side we can also see the dark brown of its wing, with more small white markings throughout.

This is a barred owl! This is a bit of a trick question because this photo is so dark and unclear. The owl is not facing us, and its body looks like a blur, so all the field marks we've been looking for are not here. The bit of white markings we can see along the bottom of the back and wings do resemble a barred owl. However the most obvious clue is this - this owl is in the middle of civilization. It is perched on a post where you can clearly see hydro lines and city lights in the background. A spotted owl would never be found this close to civilization, making this a barred owl.