Why do owls hoot at night?

Owls hoot at night because many owls are active after dark, and that is when other owls are awake to hear them. A hoot can mark a territory, attract a mate, or help a pair keep track of each other.

The timing helps the message carry. Cooler, calmer night air and fewer competing bird calls can let an owl’s voice travel a long way through trees, so a sound from one branch can reach another owl far across the woods.