Great Horned Owl

Quick Facts:

• They are the second-largest bird in North America
• They have acute hearing and can hear sounds from 1o miles away.
• Owls have 14 neck bones and are able to move their heads 270 degrees.

The Great Horned Owl is a fierce predator with sharp talons that spread up to 8” to grab their prey and toes that apply much greater crushing pressure than a human hand. It can catch prey larger than itself, although it eats many small animals. It primarily eats mice, voles, rats, gophers, and rabbits, and also almost anything it can catch, including ducks, other owls, snakes, and skunks. Nesting season begins in January or February. The owls advertise their territory with their hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo call. The male and female may call back and forth in a duet, with the female’s call higher in pitch, although the male is smaller in size. The “horns” are just feather tufts. The ear openings are behind the facial disc. This owl can hear the faint sound of a mouse from far away.