Most owls are nocturnal, meaning they’re active at night and sleep during the day. However, their daytime behavior isn’t simply a matter of finding a branch and dozing off. It’s a strategic period of rest, self-maintenance, and vigilance against predators and rivals. While their nighttime activities are centered on hunting, their daytime hours are focused on survival and energy conservation. However, there are some exceptions.

Photo by Brett Sayles

Finding a Roost and Avoiding Danger

During the day, an owl’s primary objective is to find a safe and secluded spot to rest, known as a roost. This location is chosen for its cover and protection from threats. Owls often choose dense foliage, tree cavities, or the deep shadows of a large pine or cedar tree. This camouflage is crucial, as they can become targets for other birds, such as crows and jays, which see them as a threat to their own nests and will mob them relentlessly. This mobbing behavior can be exhausting for an owl and can even attract larger predators.

For this reason, a roost is often a quiet place where the owl can blend in seamlessly with its surroundings. Some types of owls, such as the Great Horned Owl, will even use the same roost for years, demonstrating a strong preference for a spot they know is safe. The dense trees also offer protection from harsh weather, such as rain and direct sunlight, which can cause them to overheat.

Photo by Fábio Scaletta

Resting, Not Deep Sleep

While it may look like an owl is in a deep sleep, most of the time they are in a state of light sleep or torpor. This is a state of reduced physiological activity, similar to a mini-hibernation, that some animals enter to conserve energy during periods of cold or food scarcity. While many bird species, especially hummingbirds and swifts, are known to regularly use torpor, its use in owls is a less common and more nuanced topic.

While it was long believed that owls, as a group, did not utilize torpor, recent research has shown that some species do enter a state of shallow torpor. This is a less profound reduction in body temperature and metabolic rate than true hibernation, and it’s typically used to survive short-term energy stress rather than prolonged seasonal periods. 

For example, studies on African Scops-Owls have found that they can routinely enter shallow torpor on cold winter nights when their insect prey is scarce. This allows them to lower their energy expenditure by several degrees, helping them to survive until they can hunt again. In contrast, other small owls, even those living in similar harsh environments, may not show this same behavior, suggesting that the use of torpor is not widespread across all owl species and is likely an adaptation to specific environmental and dietary pressures.

Photo by Jean van der Meulen

For other roosting owls, their large, forward-facing eyes, while optimized for low-light conditions, are sensitive to the bright sun. This is why you often see an owl with its eyes barely open, or appearing to squint. They are still highly aware of their surroundings. Their exceptional hearing, which is not affected by light, remains active, allowing them to detect the rustle of a predator or the alarm calls of other birds. If a threat is detected, the owl can rouse itself instantly and take flight.

Some species, like the Barn Owl, will seek out dark, enclosed spaces like barns, abandoned buildings, or silos to roost, which provides them with a completely dark environment where they can enter a deeper state of sleep. This behavior has made them a familiar sight in agricultural areas across the country.

Photo by Kris Van Sebroeck

Sunbathing, Grooming, and Preening

Owls don’t spend their entire day in a motionless stupor. They engage in important self-care rituals. You might occasionally spot an owl on a sunny branch with its wings spread out. This is not just a casual stretch; it’s a form of sunbathing. The warmth of the sun helps to keep the feathers healthy and can help to kill parasites like mites and lice.

Preening is another essential daytime activity. An owl will meticulously clean and arrange its feathers using its beak, a process that maintains the feathers’ structure and waterproofing. This is crucial for silent flight, as damaged feathers can create noise, compromising their ability to hunt. This period of preening is also a time for them to relax and maintain their physical health for the upcoming night of hunting.

The Diurnal Exception: Not All Owls are Nocturnal

While the majority of owls are nocturnal, a few species are crepuscular, meaning they are most active during dawn and dusk and some are even seen regularly during the day.

Photo by Mark Broadhurst

Northern Pygmy-Owl

This tiny but fierce owl is one of the most consistently diurnal owls in North America. Found in mountainous regions and coniferous forests, it primarily hunts small birds and mammals. It is a perch-and-pounce hunter, often sitting on a branch to ambush its prey. You might be able to find one by listening for the commotion of smaller birds “mobbing” it to try and drive it away.

Burrowing Owl

These unique owls are active both during the day and at night. As their name suggests, they live in underground burrows in open habitats like grasslands and prairies. During the day, they can be seen walking or running on the ground, standing sentinel on a dirt mound, or catching insects in mid-air. They have long legs that are adapted for this ground-based lifestyle and will also pounce on rodents from a low perch.

Short-eared Owl

One of the most widespread owls in the world, the Short-eared Owl is a common sight in open country like marshes and grasslands, especially at dawn and dusk. They have a distinctive, buoyant flight, and you can often see them flying low over fields as they hunt for voles and other small rodents. Their daylight activity is a key reason they are one of the most frequently seen owls.

Snowy Owl

Snowy Owls are considered to be largely diurnal. This behavior is a direct adaptation to their Arctic breeding grounds. During the summer in the far north, the sun never sets, so there is continuous daylight. To survive, Snowy Owls had to evolve to hunt and be active at all hours. They have excellent vision and hearing that work just as well in broad daylight as they do in low light.

When Snowy Owls migrate south for the winter, they often maintain this diurnal behavior, which is why they are so often seen in open fields, on fence posts, and on hay bales during the day. This makes them a treat for birdwatchers, who can observe them hunting in a way that’s not possible with most other owl species. Their daytime activity, combined with their striking white plumage, makes them one of the most recognizable and sought-after owls in North America.

Photo by Pixabay

Final Thoughts

So, while the classic image of an owl is a silent, nighttime hunter, their daytime hours are far from wasted. They are a carefully balanced combination of rest, vigilance, and self-preservation, ensuring they have the energy and health required to be effective predators when darkness falls.

And the story doesn’t end there, with many species being active at dusk and dawn, and some that spend a lot of daylight hours active and visible. This adaptation often relates to their hunting strategy and the type of prey they target.