Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl

Latin Name: Bubo virginianus
Marks: Length  22 inches Wing span  44 inches. Female larger than males.
Family :Strgidae
Large powerful owl. Can vary in color from rich dark-brown to sandy tan in arid country. Bulky , with ear tufts that may help in camouflage when roosting. But ear tufts may be lowered making head look flat. White throat area with dark patches below. Yellow eyes with bluish-gray beak. Facial disk light to dark orange.Yellow eyes.Strong legs with powerful, sharp talons. Sharp, hooked beak.  Most bones are hollow and contain air to make the owl lighter for flying.

Excellent binocular vision in daylight and at night. Eyes are fixed in sockets facing forward. Pupils can act independently and can be dilated or constricted to different sizes. Excellent sound perception. Can locate and capture prey on a dark night using sense of hearing only. Owls can hear sounds that are at least ten times fainter than the human ear can detect. Ears are placed asymmetrically on the head and are surrounded by soft, deep feathers that help funnel sounds to each ear. Sense of smell is probably nonexistent. This enables them to prey on skunks.

Communication: Series of low, soft, far-carrying hoots.

Fun Facts 

1. The great horned owl cannot turn its head completely around, only about ¾ of the way or 270 degrees.  

2. Although their body only weighs around 2 lbs., their eyes are about the same size as human eyes.  

3. In the discarded pellet, the bones are always wrapped inside the fur or feathers, so as not to injure the owl when it is coughed up. 

4. Owl Pellet is regurgitated and contains bones, fur and non-digestible parts of its prey. 

5. Great horned owls are mostly solitary birds.  They are territorial and can be very aggressive. 

6. Great horned owls use their ear tufts to convey body language.  When they are irritated, the tufts lie flat and when curious, they stand upright.

7. The owl’s extra soft feathers are very silent, so it is difficult for prey to hear the owl flying at them. 

8. Owls typically swallow their prey whole. Several hours after eating, the owl’s stomach will form a pellet consisting of the fur, hair, exoskeleton and bones that will be regurgitated. 

9. Great horned owls are the only animal that regularly eats skunks. 

10. Owls cannot turn their heads completely around.  They can rotate their heads 270 degrees, thanks to extra vertebra in their necks.  Because their eyes are fixed in their sockets, they can’t move their eyes up or down or side to side.  The owl has to move its whole head to make up for the fixed eyes.

11. Owls have a third, opaque eye membrane, called the nictating membrane.  This helps to clean the eye and to protect it from the brightness of the day or foreign objects at night. 

Generalists in feeding. Always take advantage of easy prey, no matter what the size.  Feed on earthworms, insects, crayfish, fish, reptiles and amphibians, birds. Large portion of diet is mammals from shrews, mice, voles, on up to squirrels, rabbits and hares, even skunks and porcupines. Kills many other species of owls and hawks. Mostly nocturnal, hunting from high perches. Mobbed by crows and other songbirds if seen during day. Small birds are warning that a predator is in area, so be aware.