![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/78ab91_63f56add07aa4b838e72d03c39785bea~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_651,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/78ab91_63f56add07aa4b838e72d03c39785bea~mv2.jpg)
GREAT HORNED OWL
Bubo virginianus
TOP 5 ID TIPS: GREAT HORNED OWLS
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Very large, stocky owl
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Enormous bright yellow eyes
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Mottled grey, brown, and tan body with bright white chin plumage
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Tall feather tufts - which look like horns or ears - angled on the top of their head.
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Black bill
© KURT LINDSAY
GREAT HORNED OWL QUICK FACTS:
A large, bulky owl with prominent ear tufts, white throat, gray beak, and bright yellow eyes
Males: back is mottled grayish-brown, chest and belly are rusty brown and heavily barred
Females: same as male
Young: more orange-brown than adults, white throat less pronounced, ear tufts shorter
FAMILY:
Strigidae
CLOSEST RELATIVE:
Snowy Owl
GREAT HORNED OWL SIZE:
Height: Males 51 cm (20.0 in), Females 60 cm (23.6 in)
Weight: Males 1304g (2.9 lb), Females 1509g (3.3 lb)
Wingspan: Males 134cm (52.7 in), Females 143 cm (56.2 in)
GREAT HORNED OWL RANGE:
Found year-round in all parts of U.S. and Canada except far northern coastal areas
GREAT HORNED OWL HABITAT:
Highly adaptable; can be found in a wide variety of habitats, including both coniferous and deciduous forests, swamp forests, mangroves, farmland, deserts, and even city parks
GREAT HORNED OWL DIET:
Mostly small mammals such as hares, ground squirrels, and voles; also preys on birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, and insects
GREAT HORNED OWL VOICE:
Deep, booming hoots
Males: during breeding, a series of evenly spaced low pitched “hoo”s; to contact other owls or defend territory, often will give a soft, double hoot
Females: higher pitched than males
GREAT HORNED OWL NESTING:
Nest Site: a variety of nesting sites; most commonly abandoned nests of Red-tailed Hawk and other birds or squirrels, but also tree cavities, cactus, haylofts, manmade nest platforms, cliffs, and caves
Eggs: 1-4 dull white eggs, hatching about 2 days apart
Incubation: 30-37 days
GREAT HORNED OWL HUNTING HABITS:
Opportunistic but primarily a nocturnal perch hunter. Takes a wide variety of prey, often hunts along forest edges, meadows and patchily forested open country.
GREAT HORNED OWL CONSERVATION STATUS:
Not globally threatened; some decline of U.S. populations.
![Great Horned Owl](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/78ab91_f44f0214c4394c0daef55b91902a80e8~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_0,y_71,w_427,h_507/fill/w_367,h_436,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/78ab91_f44f0214c4394c0daef55b91902a80e8~mv2.jpg)
© Jon Bertsche
GREAT HORNED OWL DISTRIBUTION IN NORTH AMERICA
![great horned owl, great horned owl distribution](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/78ab91_092fc73de57c4c8a85f0e23a7c63c6ad~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_425,h_472,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/78ab91_092fc73de57c4c8a85f0e23a7c63c6ad~mv2.jpg)
Map provided by The Birds of North America Online and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/78ab91_cf0bc5ce0e08498aa5c298d16d5d9776~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_0,y_0,w_935,h_829/fill/w_392,h_348,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/78ab91_cf0bc5ce0e08498aa5c298d16d5d9776~mv2.jpg)
© Kurt Lindsay
Great Horned Owl Nest Box Info
For nest box plans and more information, visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Project NestWatch website: