What does the Long-eared Owl sound like at night?
Press play. If that is the sound outside, you have your answer — the Long-eared Owl's "whoop... whoop... whoop".
What you're hearing
The male gives a low, hollow hoot every few seconds. It's softer and more distant-sounding than a Great Horned Owl's booming call.
“whoop... whoop... whoop”
Birders often file this one under Deep, steady hoots.
What time of night you hear it
Well after dark in late winter and spring, from dense conifer stands.
Spring is the best time to hear the male's soft, steady hoots. In winter, they can be surprisingly social, roosting in loose groups in dense evergreens.
Why a Long-eared Owl calls at night
A low, soft, evenly spaced hoo — lower and hollower than a Great Horned Owl — like someone blowing across the lip of a very large empty bottle, once every few seconds. Long-eared Owls are secretive roosters, so the night song is often the only evidence they are present at all.
What else could it be?
The other voices you are most likely to hear in the dark. Play them and compare.