The northern hawk-owl is around 14-18 inches (36-46 cm) tall, about the size of a crow. It has a wingspan of around 28 inches (71 cm).
Its wings, head, and back are dark brown with white spots, but its belly is white with thin brown horizontal stripes.
The northern hawk-owl has no ear tufts and a very long tail.
The northern hawk-owl lives in northern coniferous forests. It prefers a habitat on the edge of a clearing, such as a muskeg (muskeg is a term used for bog in Alaska and Canada) or mountain range.
While perched in a tree, the northern hawk owl can hunt in the cleared area.
The northern hawk-owl hunts during the day and the night. It preys on small mammals like voles, lemmings, snowshoe hares, and squirrels.
In the summer, it usually eats rodents. In the winter, the northern hawk-owl may eat birds like ptarmigan and grouse.
The northern hawk-owl breeds from March to June. The female lays 3-13 eggs in a tree cavity, abandoned nest, or sometimes on a cliff. The female incubates her eggs for about a month.
The male brings her food and protects their nest from predators. Northern hawk-owl chicks stay with their parents for about 4 weeks until they fledge (develop flight feathers) and leave the nest.
The northern hawk-owl has a lifespan of up to 10 years.
Unlike most owls, the northern hawk-owl hunts during the day, which has led people to compare it to a hawk.
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The northern hawk-owl is a very rare winter visitor to New Hampshire.
The northern hawk-owl is found year-round from northern Alaska through lower and middle Canada.
In winter, it can be found in some northern states in the continental United States.
The northern hawk-owl is circumpolar and is also found in northern Europe and Asia.
