The Great Horned Owl is a large owl
native to North and South America.
It is very adaptable with a wide range
of habitats and with a large number of
sub-species it is the most widely
distributed owl in the Americas.
They hunt mainly at night but will also
be active at dusk and dawn when
necessary. With a varied diet of mostly
mammals and some birds it is also the
only animal known to eat skunks.
Great Horned Owls can vary in colour
from a reddish brown to a grey or black
and white. The underside is a light grey
with dark bars and a white band of
feathers on the upper breast.
The name 'horned' comes from the tufts
of feathers on the head. They are also
referred to as 'ear tufts' but have nothing
to do with hearing.
When breeding they use nests of other
birds and are well known for being very
aggressive to intruders. They have 2 - 4
eggs that are incubated for 26 - 35 days.
