The Great Horned Owl, a majestic nocturnal raptor of the Americas.
Introduction
The Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus), also known as the Tiger Owl, is an imposing nocturnal Bird of Prey belonging to the Strigidae family. It is one of the largest and most widespread owls on the American continent, found from Canada to Argentina. Highly adaptable, it occurs in a wide range of terrestrial habitats.
Length: 45 to 63 cm (17.7 to 24.8 in)
Wingspan: 90 to 162 cm (35.4 to 63.8 in)
Weight: 675 g (1.5 lbs) to 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) (females are generally heavier)
The Great Horned Owl is easily recognizable by its robust build, long ear tufts on its head (often referred to as "feathered ears"), and large, round, piercing yellow eyes. Its plumage varies considerably depending on subspecies and habitat, ranging from light gray to dark brownish. It is a powerful nocturnal predator, equipped with impressive talons and silent flight. Although classified as "Least Concern" by the IUCN globally, some local populations, particularly in Canada, have shown a decline due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and collisions.
Our Ornithologist's Advice
By the Les-Oiseaux.com Team, published November 4, 2025.
My personal advice: The Great Horned Owl is an impressive sight, though it is primarily nocturnal. Its adaptation to various environments makes it a potentially close neighbor. Here's how to maximize your chances of observing or identifying it:
Look for its ear tufts and yellow eyes: This is the most striking feature distinguishing it from most other nocturnal raptors. If you spot a large owl with prominent "feathered ears" and bright yellow eyes, it is likely a Great Horned Owl.
Listen for its deep hoot: Its territorial hoot is a low, deep, and resonant "hoo-hoo-hoo-HOOO," often repeated several times. It's usually easier to hear at dusk or dawn, especially during the breeding season in winter and early spring.
Search for abandoned nests: The Great Horned Owl does not build its own nest. It often settles in large abandoned nests of other birds of prey (like hawks, ravens, eagles) or in large tree cavities. Scan these structures, particularly in late winter before leaves appear.
Hunting clues: Look for owl pellets (regurgitated balls of fur and bones) at the base of trees where it perches. These can provide valuable insights into its local diet. Its ability to hunt skunks without being bothered by their scent is an interesting anecdote due to its poor sense of smell.
Observing a Great Horned Owl is a memorable experience. Its presence is a sign of a healthy local ecosystem, even in suburban areas.
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Identification
The Great Horned Owl is a large, robust, and powerful nocturnal raptor. Sexual dimorphism is marked by size, with the female being significantly larger and heavier than the male.
Plumage: The plumage is cryptic and variable, adapting to its environment. It generally features a mix of brown and various shades of black, buff, and gray. The underparts are densely barred with reddish-brown, black, and white. Subspecies living in boreal regions may have very pale, almost white plumage, while southern ones are darker. The throat features a distinct white "bib" of feathers.
Head: Large and adorned with long, prominent erectile ear tufts, which are a key feature for identification and distinguishing it from round-headed owls. Its facial disc is often rufous and frames its large eyes.
Eyes: Large, round, and bright yellow.
Beak: Short, strong, and hooked, partially hidden by facial feathers.
Legs: Fully feathered down to the powerful, dark talons, capable of crushing prey with considerable force.
Juvenile: Young birds are covered in white down, with a dark mask around the eyes and beak.
Silhouette and Flight: In flight, its silhouette is massive, with broad wings edged with soft filaments that give it a fast, graceful, and almost silent flight. It can glide in large circles, ascending and descending with ease.
Scientific Dimensions and Records (Great Horned Owl)
Characteristic
Male
Female
Record / Average
Length
45 – 55 cm (17.7 – 21.7 in)
50 – 63 cm (19.7 – 24.8 in)
45 – 63 cm (17.7 – 24.8 in) (adults)
Wingspan
90 – 134 cm (35.4 – 52.8 in)
91 – 162 cm (35.8 – 63.8 in, avg. 120 cm/47.2 in)
90 – 162 cm (35.4 – 63.8 in) (adults)
Weight
675 g – 1.5 kg (1.5 – 3.3 lbs)
1 kg – 2.5 kg (2.2 – 5.5 lbs, avg. 2 kg/4.4 lbs)
675 g – 2.5 kg (1.5 – 5.5 lbs) (adults)
Lifespan
Up to 20 years (in the wild)
Up to 20 years (in the wild)
Around 20 years (in the wild), 29 years (in captivity)
These figures highlight the Great Horned Owl as a large nocturnal raptor, with a significant lifespan in its natural environment.
Not to be confused with...
Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)
The Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) is the only owl in America larger than the Great Horned Owl. It is recognizable by its predominantly white plumage (especially in males) and yellow eyes, but it lacks ear tufts. It is primarily associated with Arctic and subarctic habitats.
The Eurasian-eagle Owl is smaller and more slender than the Great Horned Owl. Although it has ear tufts, they are generally shorter, and it has orange or yellow eyes, but its overall appearance is more slender. It prefers more open habitats with groves.
The Great Horned Owl is a very vocal species, especially during the breeding season which begins in mid-winter. Its hoots are among the most iconic sounds of American nights.
Its calls can include:
Characteristic Territorial Call: The most common call is a low, deep, and resonant "hoo-hoo-hoo-HOOO," often repeated several times. It is used by the male to mark its territory and attract a mate.
Contact Calls and Duets: The male and female may perform complex duets, with slightly different hoots.
Other Vocalizations: The Great Horned Owl can also produce a variety of other sounds, including meows, barks, coos, and bill snaps, often in situations of alarm or aggression.
Calls of Young: Young birds, demanding food, emit insistent and repetitive whistles.
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Habitat and Distribution of Great Horned Owl
The Great Horned Owl is one of the most adaptable raptors and is found in an immense variety of habitats across the entire American continent. This adaptability explains its very wide distribution range.
It mainly occupies:
Open forests and sparsely wooded areas of all types (deciduous, mixed, coniferous).
Parks, large gardens, and even urban and suburban areas with enough mature trees for nesting and roosting.
Semi-open landscapes with groves, thickets, agricultural areas, and woodland edges.
Rocky deserts, tundra, mangroves, and mountainous areas (up to 4,000 meters / 13,000 ft in altitude and higher).
Its range extends from North America (Canada, United States) to Central America (Mexico to Panama) and parts of South America (Brazil, Argentina). It is generally a sedentary species, although young birds may disperse over long distances after fledging to find a territory.
Distribution Map
Year-round Presence (Resident)
Breeding Area
Non-breeding (Wintering) Area
Passage Area (Migration)
Diet
The Great Horned Owl is an opportunistic and generalist nocturnal predator, capable of adapting to the availability of prey in its environment. Its large size and strength allow it to hunt a very wide variety of animals.
It primarily feeds on:
Small to Medium Mammals: This is its preferred prey, including rodents (voles, mice, shrews), rabbits, American hares, skunks, and porcupines.
Birds: It captures a wide variety of birds, including ducks, geese, grouse, crows, herons, and even other nocturnal raptors.
Amphibians and Reptiles: Frogs, toads, and snakes occasionally form part of its diet.
Invertebrates: It also consumes spiders and large insects such as beetles.
Carrion: In the absence of other prey, it may also consume carrion.
It usually hunts from a high perch, using its exceptional hearing and night vision to locate prey before silently swooping down on them. It can also hunt in low flight or even on foot on the ground. Indigestible parts of prey are regurgitated as pellets.
Reproduction
The Great Horned Owl is one of the earliest breeding owls, with its nesting season able to begin as early as January, even in the midst of snowy winter. Pairs are generally faithful to their territory and may remain bonded for life.
Nest: The Great Horned Owl does not build a nest. Instead, it uses abandoned nests of other large birds (such as hawks, eagles, crows, herons), natural cavities in trees, rock crevices, cliff ledges, or human structures like bridges. The nesting site is chosen by the male.
Eggs: The female typically lays 1 to 5 pure white, spherical eggs (most often 2 to 3). Laying occurs between January and April, and incubation is performed almost exclusively by the female for about 30 days. The male feeds the female during this period.
Raising the Young: Chicks are born blind and covered in white down. Both parents care for their feeding. Young remain in the nest for about 10 weeks before fledging. After leaving the nest, they remain dependent on adults for food for several more weeks.
Courtship Display: Intense territorial calls and duets from the pair are an important part of courtship and maintaining pair bonds.
Conservation Status
The Great Horned Owl is classified as "Least Concern" (LC) by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) globally (last assessed in 2018). It is considered a relatively common and highly adaptable species, even breeding in suburban and urban habitats.
Despite this favorable global classification, the species faces specific threats, especially at a local level:
Population Decline: In Canada, Great Horned Owl populations have shown a moderate decline compared to 1970, with high reliability of this data. Populations can fluctuate year to year depending on prey availability, particularly snowshoe hares.
Habitat Loss and Modification: Although adaptable, the disappearance of old trees with cavities and the conversion of natural habitats into intensive agricultural areas reduce nesting sites and prey availability, especially small mammals.
Collisions: Nocturnal hunting near roads exposes Great Horned Owls to high risks of collisions with vehicles. Power lines also pose a risk of electrocution.
Toxic Products: The use of rodenticides can lead to secondary poisoning of Great Horned Owls that consume poisoned rodents.
Human Persecution: Historically, the Great Horned Owl was commonly shot due to predation on poultry, and illegal hunting persists despite its legal protection.
Conservation measures include the preservation of open forest habitats and wooded areas, the installation of artificial nest boxes where natural sites are limited, and public awareness about the dangers of pesticides and road collisions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How to identify the Great Horned Owl?
The Great Horned Owl is a large nocturnal raptor recognizable by its robust silhouette, its long, visible ear tufts on its head, and its large, round, yellow eyes. Its plumage varies from light gray to dark brown, with streaks and bars on its belly. Its throat is often white.
Where does the Great Horned Owl live?
The Great Horned Owl is highly adaptable and occupies a vast range extending from North America to Central America and parts of South America. It inhabits various habitats, including open forests, wooded agricultural areas, grasslands, deserts, tundra, and even urban parks, as long as it has nesting sites (often old nests of other large birds).
What does the Great Horned Owl eat?
It is an opportunistic and generalist nocturnal predator. Its diet is very varied and primarily includes small to medium-sized mammals (rabbits, hares, rodents, skunks, porcupines), but also birds (ducks, geese, other raptors), reptiles, amphibians, and large insects. It mainly hunts from a high perch.
