Great Horned Owl
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
Our resident Great Horned owl came to us as a juvenile owl from Kent, Washington in March of 2014. She was imprinted as a young owlet, which means that she grew up around humans, not owls. She doesn’t act like a wild owl should. With owls it is very difficult to know what gender they are because both the male and female look the same. As of the spring of 2016, we are proud to announce that our Great Horned owl is a female! She laid her first eggs in March, cementing the fact that she is a female. When you visit our aviary, she is located in the second mew from the right. While you are there, see if you can find some of her “toys” lying about the ground. She is a big hit when we bring her along for educational programming.
Average Height: 18-26 inches
Average Weight: 2.5 – 3.5 pounds
Wingspan: 4 – 5 feet
Life Span: 15 to 20 years
Description: The Great Horned Owl is a large, brown owl with horizontal barring on its underparts. They have distinctive feather tufts, which are often mistaken as ears.
Call: A series of low hoots, “hoo-h’HOO-hoo-hoo.”
Range: Great Horned Owls are found throughout the United States and Canada, as well as parts of Central and South America.
Habitat: Great Horns have a broad range of habitats, including coniferous and deciduous forests, open woodlands, swamps, and can even be found in cities, suburbs and parks.
Diet: Great Horned Owls have a diet of various small mammals that includes: mice, rabbits, and skunks, as well as other small animals such as frogs, snakes and even other birds.
