Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

Owls are known as silent predators of the night, capable of flying just inches from their prey without being detected. The quietness of their flight is owed to their specialized wing feathers. Most owls hunt at night, roosting during the daylight hours. They have keen eyesight and sharp hearing, both aiding with hunting. All have immobile eyes in large heads; therefore, they move their heads about. Flocks of small songbirds noisily mob a roosting owl. They are best known for their loud, mournful calls, which pierce the night.

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Description:

Great Horned Owls are the largest of the North American owls. They are about two times the size of a crow. A large, bulky-shaped bird with mottled brown-gray-dark brown feathers. The breast finely barred with a white throat. The “horns” mentioned in the common name refer to the tufts of feather on the head. This is not their ears.

Voice:

A series of three to eight loud, deep hoots. The second and third hoots often are short and rapid.

Food:

Great Horned Owls are carnivores that primarily eat terrestrial vertebrates.

Nest:

Great Horned Owls inhabit nests abandoned by squirrels or other birds, including other great horned owls. Roosts and nest in tree branches near the trunk.

Habitat:

Great Horned Owls are well suited for many habitats and environments. They live at a variety of elevations, from sea level up to 11,000 feet. Great Horned Owls are most commonly found in interspersed areas of woodland and open fields. Their habitats include grasslands, deserts, swamps, marshes, mangroves, and both rural and urban human settlements.

Range:

These owls are native to a large geographic range that covers most of North America and extends south into Central and South America.

3/22/21 ok

Photo: © Colin Barrows