Great horned owl
An owl, able to live in distinctly different habitats
This is a splendid owl which can weigh 2.5 kg and have a wingspan of up to 1m60.
This nocturnal raptor has a highly impressive appearance because of its size but also because of its large yellow eyes and its long feathers, which resemble ears and make it look severe! Its russet-red facial disc gives it excellent night vision and very fine hearing.
It is able to live in distinctly different habitats, from the tundra, in the north, to the deserts and plains of the south.
Hunting at dusk and dawn, its menu is varied but exclusively carnivorous: small rodents, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects; everything that it detects while lying in wait on a perch before seizing it in its powerful claws after a silent gliding flight.
It nests in holes in trees or on cliff ledges. Its habitat is getting smaller and the use of pesticides is poisoning its prey, hence the Great Horned Owl is seeing its numbers decreasing: however, it is not classified as an “Endangered Species” in view of its vast distribution area.
Great horned owl
Discover the Great horned owl during the raptor show
A less threatened species
- Name: Great horned owl
- Latin name: Bubo virginianus
- Origin: North and South America (except for the Andean and Amazonian Areas)
- IUCN status: Least concerned
- Cites: Appendix II