Great Horned Owls: 20 Fascinating Facts

Great Horned Owls: 20 Fascinating Facts

In the realm of North America‘s wildlife, the great horned owl stands as an iconic and fascinating bird of prey. These magnificent creatures can be found throughout North America, from the Arctic regions to the southernmost parts of the continent.

With their distinctive “horns” (actually tufts of feathers), large size, and keen golden eyes, they cut an imposing figure. Great horned owls are revered for their hunting prowess, and their stealthy nocturnal flights have earned them a reputation as masters of the night.

In this article, we’ll delve into the intriguing world of great horned owls, exploring 20 captivating facts about these enigmatic birds. From their role as apex predators to their remarkable parenting strategies, we’ll uncover the secrets that make them some of the most awe-inspiring raptors in North America. Take a look!

1. Their name can be misleading

Image by M. from Pixabay

Great horned owls don’t have horns. But they do have horn-like protrusions on their head, which are just tufts of feathers. These tufts of feathers are called plumicorns. These are not unique to great horned owls, although theirs are among the most prominent. Many other owl species also have plumicorns.

2. They are quite adaptable

These include forests, deserts, grasslands, and even urban areas. This makes the one of the most adaptable owl species in the world. These features are also not unique to great horned owls. They can be found on Eastern screech owls too in smaller sizes.

3. Females are larger than males

This is a common phenomenon in birds of prey, known as reversed sexual dimorphism. Female great-horned owls are larger and heavier than males, which is a trait often associated with their role in reproduction. The larger size of the females can provide several advantages during nesting and raising young, such as better incubating and protecting the eggs and providing food for the chicks.

Image by Wayne Linton from Pixabay

Females can be up to 25% larger than males in terms of body mass. They also have a longer wingspan. This size difference is an important part of the great horned owl’s ecology and behavior. It allows females to fulfill their roles as mothers and defenders of their nests and chicks.

4. Various cultures associate them with different things

In many Native American cultures, great horned owls are seen as symbols of wisdom and knowledge. In other Native American traditions, they are seen as protectors and guardians. They are believed to have the power to ward off evil spirits and protect against harm. Interestingly, other cultures especially European associate this owl with darkness, witches, and evil. Some also associate it with bad omens or death.

 5. It’s a myth that they can turn their head all the way around

Image by Kathy Kelly from Pixabay

They can’t, but their 14 neck vertebrae allow them to move their head up to 270 degrees. This unique neck structure is what fuels this wrong belief. The ability is however crucial to their sight and spotting prey. They can see behind them just by turning their head around. The other thing is, most birds of prey have an excellent range of motion. Red-tailed hawks can also turn their heads to an impressive range.

6. Great Horned Owls are apex predators

That means they are at the top of the food chain and have no natural predators. They hunt a wide range of prey, from small mammals to other birds, and even skunks and porcupines. They are also known to scavenge on carrion. Great horned owls are very important predators in their ecosystems and help to control populations of small mammals and other animals.

7. They usually don’t chew their food

Like many other birds of prey, great horned owls do not chew their food in the way that humans or some other animals do. Instead, they have a highly efficient digestive system that allows them to swallow their prey whole or in large pieces.

When a great horned owl captures its prey, it uses its sharp beak and powerful talons to tear it into smaller, more manageable pieces. These pieces are then swallowed whole. The owl’s digestive system is designed to handle this type of ingestion. The food travels to the owl’s stomach, where strong digestive juices break down the prey’s tissues, including bones.

The indigestible parts, such as bones, fur, and feathers, are compacted into a pellet, which the owl regurgitates (throws up) a few hours after feeding.

8. Their feathers have cool features

Image by PublicDomainImages from Pixabay

These owls have incredible feathers with some really helpful features. The feathers help insulate on cold winter nights as they do not hibernate or migrate. The color and patterning also help in camouflage when hunting prey.

9. Great horned owls are almost silent in flight

Great-horned owls are almost silent in flight due to a combination of factors, including their wing structure, feather composition, and flight style. They have large wings relative to their body size, which allows them to fly slowly and efficiently. This reduces the amount of flapping required, which in turn reduces noise.

Their feathers are soft and fluffy, with a velvety fringe on the trailing edge. This helps to absorb sound and reduce turbulence. Great-horned owls often fly in a gliding motion, with minimal flapping.

This further reduces the amount of noise produced. The ability to fly silently is a critical adaptation for great-horned owls, as it allows them to sneak up on their prey undetected.

10. They are nocturnal animals and have incredible eyesight

Photo by Ray Hennessy on Unsplash

Great horned owls are primarily nocturnal, with keen eyesight that enables them to hunt in low-light conditions. They have large, forward-facing eyes that provide excellent depth perception and night vision.  Since their eyes are fixed in place, the ability to turn their heads up to 270 degrees comes in handy.

11. They have 3 eyelids

Owls, including the great horned owl, have an upper eyelid, a lower eyelid, and a nictitating membrane, also known as a “third eyelid.” The nictitating membrane is a translucent or transparent inner eyelid that can close diagonally across the eye.

It helps protect and moisten the eye while still allowing the owl to see through it. This adaptation is especially useful when an owl needs to blink or moisten its eye without fully exposing it to the environment, and it serves as an additional layer of eye protection during hunting.

12. They have excellent hearing

Photo by J-Photos on Unsplash

They can change the shape of their facial disks to funnel sound into their ears. This makes them hear up to 10 times better than humans. The right ear is also higher than the left.

13. But a terrible sense of smell

A great horned owl has a bad sense of smell. This could explain why they have no qualms about hunting skunks for a meal! Their sense of smell is so poor that they can barely smell at all. This is because owls rely primarily on their sight and hearing to hunt and survive.

There are a few reasons why great horned owls have evolved to have a poor sense of smell. One reason is that their olfactory bulbs, which are the part of the brain that is responsible for smell, are very small. Another reason is that their nasal passages are not very well developed.

Despite their poor sense of smell, great horned owls are very successful predators. They can hunt successfully by using their excellent vision and hearing. They can also see in very low light conditions, which gives them an advantage over their prey.

The poor sense of smell of great horned owls also has some advantages. For example, it allows them to prey on skunks without being bothered by their smell. Skunks are a common food source for great horned owls, and their poor sense of smell allows them to hunt and eat skunks without being sprayed.

14. They are monogamous and mate for life

Great-horned owls are often monogamous. These owls typically form long-term monogamous pairs during the breeding season, and they may remain with the same mate for many years or even for life. The pair works together to build and maintain a nest, incubate eggs, and raise their young.

While monogamy is a common behavior in great-horned owls, there can be exceptions, and in some cases, they may change mates if one is lost or under certain circumstances. However, in the majority of cases, great-horned owls display strong and enduring monogamous bonds during the breeding season.

15. They are solitary animals except during the breeding season

Photo by Paul Crook on Unsplash

Great horned owls are solitary birds, except during the nesting season. During the nesting season, great horned owls form pairs and work together to raise their young. The male owl will provide food for the female and the owlets while she incubates the eggs and cares for the young. After the owl’s fledge, the pair will typically break up. However, some pairs may stay together for multiple nesting seasons.

16. They are one of the earliest nesting birds in North America

This is because they often lay eggs weeks or even months before other birds of prey. They typically begin nesting in January or February, and their chicks hatch in March or April. This is much earlier than most other bird species in North America, which typically begin nesting in the spring or summer. This gives the chicks a head start on the other birds in the ecosystem, which are still nesting or raising their young.

 17. Owlets leave the nest at about 6-8 weeks old

Photo by Mike Hensley on Unsplash

Which is pretty early. Great horned owlets typically leave the nest at around 6 weeks old. However, they may stay in the vicinity of the nest for several weeks longer, while their parents continue to feed them and teach them how to hunt.

Owlets fledge, or leave the nest, in stages. First, they will start to climb around on the branches of the tree where their nest is located. Then, they will begin to take short flights. Eventually, they will be able to fly well enough to leave the nest and explore their surroundings.

After leaving the nest, owlets are still dependent on their parents for food. Their parents will continue to feed them for several weeks or even months until they can hunt for themselves.

18. Speaking of nests, they don’t build their own

They, instead, take over other birds’ nests, such as a hawk’s, heron’s, or a squirrel’s nest. Since their species usually starts breeding in cold winter months before many other birds of prey, they can take up a nest from another species before theirs begins.

19. They are territorial birds

Photo by Delphine Beausoleil on Unsplash

During the breeding season, they establish and defend territories, which they use for hunting and raising their young. The size of their territory can vary depending on factors like food availability and habitat quality.

Great-horned owls are known to be aggressive when it comes to defending their territories, and they may engage in vocalizations and physical confrontations with other owls, especially intruders. They will defend their territory from other owls, as well as from other predators such as hawks and foxes.

20. They are one of the largest owl species in the world

Great-horned owls are known for their impressive size and powerful build. In terms of length and wingspan, they are among the largest owls.

However, the specific size of great-horned owls can vary based on their geographic location and subspecies. On average, they have a length of about 18 to 25 inches and a wingspan of 3.3 to 4.8 feet . These dimensions make them a formidable and iconic owl species, well-suited for hunting a wide range of prey.

While the great-horned owl is one of the largest owls and ranks among the top in size, it is not the absolute largest. The title of the largest owl species in the world typically goes to the Eurasian eagle owl and, in some cases, the Blakiston’s fish owl, depending on the measurement considered.