Great Horned Owl By Michelle Chambers and Elle Mound

There Scientific Name is Bubo virginianus Bubo virginianus

What is there range? There range is tree limits to Tierra Del Fuego. There range is tree limits to Tierra Del Fuego.

What Is there Habitat Great horned owls have adapted to many different places and climates. They occur in habitats from dense forests, deserts, and plains to city parks. The y have been known to inhabit the same area as the diurnal red-tailed hawk. Great horned owls have adapted to many different places and climates. They occur in habitats from dense forests, deserts, and plains to city parks. The y have been known to inhabit the same area as the diurnal red-tailed hawk.

What kind of Food do they eat? Prey are usually killed instantly when grasped by its large talons. They also hunt by walking on the ground to capture small prey or wading into water to snatch frogs or fish. They have been known to walk into chicken coops to take domestic fowl. Rodents and small rabbits can be swallowed whole while larger prey are carried off and ripped apart at feeding perches or at the nest. An extremely wide range of prey species are captured, but rabbits and hares are its preferred prey. They also eat rodents, squirrels, mink, skunk, raccoons, armadillos, porcupines, shrews, moles, muskrats, and bats. These are known as mammalian prey. They may sometimes take small domestic dogs and cats. Bird prey includes all other Owls (except Snowy Owls), grouse, woodpeckers, crows, turkeys, pigeons, red-tailed hawks, bitterns, Great Blue Heron, ducks, swans, gulls, etc. Reptiles include snakes, turtles, lizards, and young alligators. Amphibians include frogs, toads, and salamanders. Other prey include fish, large insects, scorpions, centipedes, crayfish, worms. Spiders, and road killed animals. Prey are usually killed instantly when grasped by its large talons. They also hunt by walking on the ground to capture small prey or wading into water to snatch frogs or fish. They have been known to walk into chicken coops to take domestic fowl. Rodents and small rabbits can be swallowed whole while larger prey are carried off and ripped apart at feeding perches or at the nest. An extremely wide range of prey species are captured, but rabbits and hares are its preferred prey. They also eat rodents, squirrels, mink, skunk, raccoons, armadillos, porcupines, shrews, moles, muskrats, and bats. These are known as mammalian prey. They may sometimes take small domestic dogs and cats. Bird prey includes all other Owls (except Snowy Owls), grouse, woodpeckers, crows, turkeys, pigeons, red-tailed hawks, bitterns, Great Blue Heron, ducks, swans, gulls, etc. Reptiles include snakes, turtles, lizards, and young alligators. Amphibians include frogs, toads, and salamanders. Other prey include fish, large insects, scorpions, centipedes, crayfish, worms. Spiders, and road killed animals.

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What are there habits? Activity generally begins at dusk, but in some regions, may be seen in late afternoon or early morning. Both sexes may be very aggressive towards intruders when nesting.

Misc. There also known as a tiger owl. Great Horned Owls can very in color from a reddish brown to a grey or black and white. The underside is a light grey with dark bars and a white band of feathers on the upper breast. They have large, staring yellow-orange eyes, bordered in most races by an orange-buff facial disc. Females are 10 to 20 percent larger then males. Wingspan 36 – 60 inches, Length 18 – 25 inches, and weight 32 – 63.5 oz. Captive birds have been known to live 29 to 38 years, and wild Owls up to 13 years. Most mortality is related to man – shootings, traps, road kills, and electrocutions. Only natural enemies are other Great Horned Owls, occasionally, Northern Goshawks during disputes over nest sites. Peregrine Falcons have also been attacked by great horned owls. There also known as a tiger owl. Great Horned Owls can very in color from a reddish brown to a grey or black and white. The underside is a light grey with dark bars and a white band of feathers on the upper breast. They have large, staring yellow-orange eyes, bordered in most races by an orange-buff facial disc. Females are 10 to 20 percent larger then males. Wingspan 36 – 60 inches, Length 18 – 25 inches, and weight 32 – 63.5 oz. Captive birds have been known to live 29 to 38 years, and wild Owls up to 13 years. Most mortality is related to man – shootings, traps, road kills, and electrocutions. Only natural enemies are other Great Horned Owls, occasionally, Northern Goshawks during disputes over nest sites. Peregrine Falcons have also been attacked by great horned owls.

Breeding Nesting season is in January or February. Nesting season is in January or February.

The End By Michelle Chambers Elle Mound