Owls that have dark brown or black eyes typically are nocturnal, which means they prefer to hunt at night. The dark color doesn't help the owls see in the dark, but it might help camouflage them better than brighter-colored eyes. Owls with dark eyes, such as the northern spotted owl, barred owl and barn owl, follow the trend of hunting at night, although they are sometimes seen out in daylight, especially on cloudy days. According to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, barn owls can even catch prey in total darkness by using their hearing to help.