One of the biggest and most well-known owls in North America is the Great Horned Owl. They’re also one of our favorite animals, which is why they’re the topic of this article. So keep reading for 20 fascinating and awe-inspiring facts about Great Horned Owls.
These creatures may be found in a broad variety of habitats and places, and depending on where they live, they may modify their coloring and size. Their large yellow eyes and “horns” that protrude from their skull are unmistakable wherever they go. Their barred pattern and aggressive hunting have earned them the names “tiger owl,” while their distinct cries have earned them the name “hoot owl.”
Let’s look at some more facts about the Great Horned Owl.
20 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT GREAT HORNED OWLS
1. GREAT HORNED OWLS ARE FOUND THROUGHOUT THE EASTERN HEMISPHERE
They may be seen all year long across much of North America, as well as central and southern South America. From deserts to suburbs to frozen northern woods, great horned owls have an incredible capacity to adapt. They’re the most widespread of any American owl species.
2. GREAT HORNED OWLS AREN’T ALL THE SAME COLOR
The average humidity of the region influences the coloring of the great horned owls, which varies from area to area. The Pacific Northwest and the Atlantic coast of Canada have the darkest owls, while the southwest deserts and subarctic meadows have paler great horned owls. In subarctic Canada, the palest colored big horned owls, which may almost appear white, live.
3. GREAT HORNED OWLS AREN’T ALL THE SAME SIZE
The largest owls are found in Alaska, while the smallest are found in Baja California and the Yucatan Peninsula. The owls’ size can also vary depending on where you live. Adults have a 3-5 feet wingspan and grow to be 17-25 inches long.
4. GREAT HORNED OWLS DO NOT MIGRATE
Great horned owls are year-round residents of their area, with the majority of them not migrating.
Owls from Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada move south in an “irruption” into Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and the Dakotas on occasion despite the fact that they don’t migrate. Years of a lack of snowshoe hare population, coupled with the owls migrating south to discover a more consistent food supply, are said to contribute to this.
5. GREAT HORNED OWLS HAVE A DIVERSE DIET
Some of the most diverse diets of any north American owl are found in great horned owls. They eat 90% mammals (rabbits, gophers, mice, and other rodents) and 10% birds (among them coots and other waterfowl like ducks) in most regions. Insects, reptiles, and amphibians will be eaten less frequently.
6. GREAT HORNED OWLS DO NOT HAVE HORNS
The “horns” that protrude out on either side of the head of these owls are one of their most distinguishing features. Plumicorns are little tufts of feathers. The owls’ ears are located beneath their feathers on either side of their head, and they may be mistaken for ears by many people. These “horns” serve some unknown function, but they are thought to be useful visual signals for other owls. They may upright them or flatten them against their skull, whichever they choose.
7. GREAT HORNED OWLS ARE PERCH HUNTERS
They mostly hunt at night, but may also do so during the day. They prefer to watch open spaces such as meadows, marshes, and forest borders from high trees. They may house many rabbits or gophers in a nest at once when food is plentiful.
8. GREAT HORNED OWLS HAVE VERY LARGE EYES
Great horned owls have large eyes, even for an owl. They have some of the largest eyes of any land vertebrate, proportionally (in terms of eye size to head size).
Great horned owls have eyes that are shaped like cylinders in their heads. This permits them to function like a zoom lens, allowing them to see farther than a normal eye without protruding. They have excellent night vision and are not as color-vision sensitive as other birds.
9. GREAT HORNED OWLS HAVE YELLOW EYES
The eyes of great horned owls are a brilliant yellow. For the first 2-3 weeks after hatching, baby great horned owls have gray or yellowish hazel eyes, which change to full bright yellow by day 30.
10. GREAT HORNED OWLS CAN ROTATE THEIR HEAD REALLY FAR
They have a broad binocular vision range but are unable to look to the side with their eyes. They must relocate their entire head in order to see to the side. The head of the Great Horned Owl may be rotated 270 degrees.
11. GREAT HORNED OWLS ARE FAMOUS FOR THEIR HOOTS
The great horned owl is frequently used in film and television to make owl hoots at night.
The male has a larger voice box than the female, despite the fact that she is bigger in size. This allows his hoots to have a lower pitch. A pair may call each other a “duet” when they’re together. Males will produce a lower-pitched sound, while females will create a somewhat higher-pitched sound. They may also emit a range of noises, including “barking” and “screeching.”
12. GREAT HORNED OWLS DON’T DRINK
Water consumption is almost never seen in great horned owls. The food they eat provides them with all the water they need.
13. GREAT HORNED OWLS DON’T HAVE MANY PREDATORS
In terms of predators, adult owls have it easy. They are aggressive and may attack other huge predator birds like ospreys and peregrine falcons. Their eggs and young are the most vulnerable
Crows, ravens, and raccoons may all raid eggs in the nest. Coyotes, foxes, and bobcats may capture young owls from the nest, while eagles and big hawks may steal them. When a prospective danger is detected near the nest, the mother owl will spread her wings and puff out all of her feathers to show herself as big as possible, letting the invader know that fighting with her would be a huge mistake!
14. GREAT HORNED OWLS ARE TERRITORIAL
Territoriality is a big part of the life of great horned owls. A breeding pair can retain a territory for an extended period of time, beyond just one breeding season. To indicate others that they have claimed a territory, the owls hoot harshly.
15. GREAT HORNED OWLS MAY MATE FOR LIFE
Great horned owls appear to mate for at least a decade, if not for the rest of their lives, based on the limited data. A man may mate with more than one female at the same time, according to a recent study. They have a typical life expectancy of around 13 years, according to records.
16. GREAT HORNED OWLS START THEIR BREEDING SEASON VERY EARLY
They could be some of the earliest breeding birds in North America, courting from October to December and producing eggs between February and April. (This varies depending on the area) They are thought to have an edge because of the extended night hours. Less time spent hunting, and less concern about predator birds investigating the nest during daylight hours.
17. GREAT HORNED OWLS DON’T BUILD THEIR OWN NESTS
They prefer to nest in trees, and instead construct a nest with the help of hawks, ravens, herons, or squirrels. Extra bark, leaves, twigs, or feathers are sometimes used to strengthen the nest. They may occasionally utilize huge cactus woodpecker holes in the deserts.
18. GREAT HORNED OWLS HAVE SUPER STRONG TALONS
They can open their talons with a force of 28 pounds. This grip, which is used to crush their spine, will prevent any prey from escaping.
19. GREAT HORNED OWLS WILL USE NESTBOXES
If the nest boxes are large enough, great horned owls will use them. Before breeding season, place them up in the fall. One clutch of eggs per year is typical for great horned owls, who lay one to three eggs at a time. To incubate, the eggs take around 30 to 40 days.
20. GREAT HORNED OWLS PRODUCE “PELLETS”
The capacity to store food in a crop and digest it afterwards is not possessed by these owls. While leaving the more difficult to digest materials, their gizzard allows them to break down and absorb the proteins, fats, and liquids they need. The owl regurgitates a dry pellet of the bones, feathers, and fur. These pellets are often used by scientists to identify the prey based on skeletal remains.