What are some spotted owl facts?

- Scientific name: *Strix occidentalis*

- Diet: Rodents, small mammals, and birds

- Lifespan: Up to 20 years in the wild

- Habitat: Old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest of North America

- Conservation status: Threatened

- Characteristics: Large, nocturnal owls with distinctive yellow-orange eyes, dark brown feathers with white spots, and a rounded head without ear tufts

- Nesting behavior: Build their nests in tree cavities or on large branches high in old-growth trees

- Hunting behavior: They hunt by silently flying through the forest and using their keen hearing and vision to locate prey.

- Vocalizations: They have various calls, including a deep "hoot” used by males to establish their territories and a higher-pitched "scream” used by females during courtship and nesting.