Species BirdsGreat Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

CommonBird
Illustration of Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
Safety note: Nesting Great Horned Owls may strike with powerful talons — avoid nest vicinity.

The Great Horned Owl is the most widespread owl in the Americas, powerful enough to take prey as large as Great Blue Herons and domestic cats. Its prominent ear tufts are not ears but display feathers; its actual ears are asymmetric slits hidden under facial disc feathers. It begins nesting in January or February, often in the abandoned stick nests of hawks or crows.

Habitat
Forests, deserts, suburbs, and open farmland
Diet
Rabbits, skunks, rodents, birds, and reptiles
How common
Common

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