Did you know that owls take flight over North Carolina every night? On this spooky All Hallow’s Eve, we thought it was a perfect time to highlight some of the majestic birds that roost in our state.

Barn Owl - These very adaptable (and adorable) owls are seeing population decline due in part to grassland habitat loss. Their creepy, raspy call is perfect for Halloween.

Barred Owl - These large, stocky owls have rounded heads, no ear tufts, and medium length, rounded tails. Originally, these birds were exclusively hunted in eastern states, but in the last hundred years it now hunts throughout the west coast.

Eastern Screech-Owl - One of the few owls you can attract to a backyard nest box, these small owls are common east of the Rockies in forests, suburbs, and parks.  Their mottled feathers help them stay camouflaged, hiding out in nooks and tree crannies through the day.

Great Horned Owl - These large owls, 32.1–88.2 oz. by weight, are one of the most widespread and common owls in North America. Have you heard this owl’s call?

Long-eared Owl - These owls with conspicuous "ear" tufts and orange facial disks are widespread in the US. Under controlled conditions, the Long-eared Owl can catch mice in complete darkness.

Northern Saw-whet Owl -When these small yellow eyed, white-faced owls are disturbed they will sit completely still and not fly away, leading people to perceive them as "tame."

Short-eared Owl - Common in the winter on the coast of North Carolina, Short-eared Owls can live in a great diversity of climates. These small owls only weigh 7.3–16.8 oz. and are found across North America, South America, and Eurasia, and on many islands.

Snowy Owl - Familiar to Harry Potter fans, these owls are the largest (by weight) North American owl and a lucky few can spot them in the North Carolina mountains.

Thank you to AllAboutBirds.org for the information for this article.