Facts about Great Horned Owl
- 07
Exceptional eyesight allows great horned owls to detect movement from distances exceeding 100 feet in near-total darkness, with forward-facing eyes providing binocular vision superior to most other owl species.
- 06
Throughout North America, great horned owls have maintained populations for over 10,000 years, making them one of the continent's most enduring avian predators despite significant habitat changes.
- 05
Nocturnal hunting allows great horned owls to locate prey in complete darkness using asymmetrical ear placement that enables precise triangulation of sounds from rodents moving up to 150 feet away.
- 04
Female great horned owls are typically 20 to 25 percent heavier than males, with large females weighing up to 2.5 pounds compared to males averaging around 1.9 pounds.
- 03
Breeding pairs of great horned owls often occupy the same territory for over 20 years, reusing and refurbishing stick nests built by other large birds like hawks or crows.
- 02
At sunrise and sunset, great horned owls produce deep hooting calls audible up to a mile away to defend their territories and communicate with mates.
- 01
Talons of the great horned owl can exert crushing force exceeding 500 pounds per square inch, allowing it to kill prey weighing up to 20 pounds.