Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
Least Concern
The Great Horned Owl is called the 'tiger of the sky' because it's one of the fiercest predators in North America. Those 'horns' are actually just tufts of feathers - their real ears are hidden on the sides of their head!
Great horned owls are powerful hunters that can take prey larger than themselves, including skunks (they can't smell!) and other owls. Their deep hooting call - 'hoo-hoo-hoo' - is the classic owl sound.
Size
Body as big as a cat, with a 5-foot wingspan!
Large (40-60 cm)
Wingspan: 140 cm
Weight: 1400 g
Colors
brown
gray
white
yellow
Habitat
foresturbandesert
Diet
small mammalsbirds
Fun Facts
- ✨They're called the 'tiger of the sky' for their fierce hunting!
- ✨Their 'horns' are just feather tufts - not ears!
- ✨They're one of the few animals that hunt skunks.
- ✨Their grip strength is about 300 pounds per square inch!
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Great news! This bird is doing well. There are lots of them in the wild, and they have safe places to live and find food.
Population trend: stable ➡️