The Northern Hawk Owl is aptly named, for it looks and behaves more like a hawk than a typical owl — a long-tailed, streamlined bird that perches boldly at the very top of a tree or snag in the open, in broad daylight, and hunts by day, scanning for prey and flying in a fast, direct, falcon-like manner. Gray-brown above and finely barred below, with a distinctive pale face boldly framed in black and piercing yellow eyes, it is unlike any other owl in the region and is often surprisingly approachable.
A bird of the far northern boreal forest, the Northern Hawk Owl comes south only rarely and irregularly, in winters when prey shortages push birds out of the north. In Michigan it is a rare and irregular winter visitor, most likely in the Upper Peninsula and northern areas, favoring open boreal forest, burns, bogs, and edges with scattered tall perches. Its diurnal, conspicuous habits mean that when one does appear, it can often be watched at length — a major event that draws birders from across the state and beyond.
Hunts mainly small mammals, especially voles, along with small birds, watching from a high, exposed perch and flying out to seize prey, often in daylight. It relies heavily on vision, dropping onto prey detected from its lookout, and its winter movements track rodent abundance in the north.
The Northern Hawk Owl hunts by day from conspicuous high perches and flies in a fast, direct, falcon-like manner, quite unlike most owls. Its long tail and streamlined shape add to the hawk-like impression, giving it its name.
As a rare and irregular winter visitor, most likely in the Upper Peninsula and northern areas, in open boreal forest, burns, bogs, and edges. It appears mainly in winters when prey shortages push birds south from the boreal forest.
Often, yes. The Northern Hawk Owl is frequently tame and conspicuous, perching in the open by day, so when one appears it can usually be watched at length, drawing many birders to the sighting.
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