The
northern hawk-owl (
Surnia ulula) is a non-migratory
owl that usually stays within its breeding range, though it sometimes irrupts southward. It is one of the few owls that is neither
nocturnal nor
crepuscular, being active only during the day. This is the
only living species in the
genus Surnia of the family
Strigidae, the "typical" owls (as opposed to
barn owls, Tytonidae). The species is sometimes called simply the
hawk owl; however, many species of owls in the
Ninox genus are also called "hawk owls".