Gary Garton of Rhinelander recently took this photo of a barred owl (Strix varia) here in the Northwoods. The owl is now in breeding season and will be laying eggs from late March into April.

These owls are the ones who have a very distinctive call which sounds like, “Who cooks for you, who cooks for you……….All?” Their vocalizations can be scary to some on a dark night and very amusing to others who know what they’re listening to.