Surprisingly they don't hoot!

Mom and Dad Calling to Each Other

Barn Owls do not hoot like regular owls. They can make a variety of different kinds of sounds and calls: the most common is a screech, both long and short, squawking, chirping, tweeting, twittering, clicking, chittering, and even hissing.

The male will call to find a mate or when he has found a new nesting spot. When he calls for a mate to come, he makes a clicking sound, like a bat uses, to call her to the nest.

The female will call to the male from inside the nest by squawking and chirping, and they can make some really sweet chirping or twittering noises as they talk back and forth to each other. Sometimes they are very soft sounds while at other times, they can get quite loud.

Mom also calls to the babies with a chittering sound to let them know it is time to eat.

Babies in the nest can be heard making twittering sounds and sounds similar to young puppies. Apparently, according to what we’ve learned about these twitter sounds the owlets make, these sounds express either discomfort or to seek attention. And they’ve also been used in the nest when quarreling with their siblings.

Barn Owls will also hiss if the nest is disturbed by intruders or predators and they feel threatened.

These are just some examples of the sounds they make when different things are happening. During breeding and nesting season, Barn Owls can make quite a bit of noise, especially when they have a nest full of babies or fledglings. But at other times of the year, they are very quiet.