Great Horned Owl - Bubo virginianus
GENERAL INFORMATION
Owls are unique birds. Although they are classified as raptors, owls are very different from many other birds of prey in their anatomy, feather structure, and hunting techniques. They are noted for their large head and large eyes which are fixed in the skull, making it necessary for them to rotate their heads in order to change their view. Their hearing is acute and in many species the ears, which are crescent-shaped slits beneath the facial feathers, are placed asymmetrically (unevenly) on the head in order to better pick up sound. Owls also have a distinctive facial disk which helps to direct sound towards the ears. The flight of an owl is almost noiseless due to tiny fringe-like structures found along the outer edge of each feather. This allows an owl to fly silently towards its prey without detection.
DESCRIPTION
The Great Horned Owl is the largest owl found in our area, measuring between 18 and 25 inches in length with a wingspan of more than four feet. Females are usually larger than the males. The plumage is brownish with mixtures of black and buff with some white present, especially under the chin. The eyes are very large and bright yellow in coloration. Great Horned Owls are noted for their large ear tufts. These ear tufts are actually feather arrangements called plumicorns which do not aid in hearing and can be used to show expression. They can be extended or flattened, depending on the mood of the owl. The legs and feet of the Great Horned Owl are feathered with two toes extending forward and two toes extending backwards. They have extremely powerful feet tipped with long, needle-sharp talons.
HABITS AND HABITATS
Great Horned Owls are found throughout much of North America, inhabiting primarily dry, upland hardwood forests. They are powerful, nocturnal hunters feeding on a variety of prey animals such as rabbits, rodents, and other small mammals and birds, including other smaller owls. The Great Horned Owl is one of the few animals which regularly includes skunks in its diet. Like other owls, the indigestible portions of their prey consisting of bones and fur, are coughed up by the bird in the form of a pellet. These pellets can often be found on the ground beneath their favored roosting and feeding sites. Great Horned Owls begin calling for a mate as early as December and January. Their call is a series of about 4 to 7 low hoots. The eggs are usually laid in an old abandoned nest of another large bird such as a hawk or crow. 2 to 4 eggs are laid, with incubation taking about a month. The young birds stay in the nest for 6 to 7 weeks and begin to fly when they are about 10 to 12 weeks of age. The female provides most of the care for the young.
HISTORY
Like many other birds of prey, the Great Horned Owl has earned a bad reputation due to its predatory instincts. Many farmers and hunters dislike them because they sometimes take poultry or game birds. These birds are not the malicious killers they are often thought to be however. They hunt prey that is most easily caught. Their taking of farm-raised domestic fowl could largely be avoided by penning up valuable stock at night. In the wild, the ecological role of the Great Horned Owl as a top level predator is now becoming understood. Like all other birds of prey, the Great Horned Owl is fully protected by state and federal regulations.
MEET OUR GREAT HORNED OWLS
The Nature Center has three Great Horned Owls on exhibit. They live outdoors in our Birds of Prey aviary which is also home to a vulture and red-tailed hawks. Like all the birds of prey at the Center, all of our Great Horned Owls are non-releasable specimens which suffer from permanent injuries which would not allow them to survive in the wild.
INFORMATION LINKS
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©2002 WNC Nature Center
