THE GREAT HORNED OWL

INTRODUCTION

• The great horned owl is very large and powerful.
• They're sometimes known as the hoot owl, cat owl or winged tigers.

APPEARANCE

• The great horned owl's facial disc is rusty brown with yellow eyes.
• The bill and cere are greyish.
• The claws are dark with black tips.
• The colour of the feathers for the wings and tail are light and dark .
• The belly is light brown.
• The throat is white and the chest has black spots.

SIZE

• The owl is 45-63cm long.
• The wingspan is 91-152cm long.
• The tail is 175-250mm long.
• It weighs 900-2,500 grams.
• The females are bigger than the males.

HABITAT

• The great horned owls are found throughout North America from the northern treeline and then in central and South America.
• They can live in all sorts of places and climates. For example forests,deserts and parks.

FOOD CHAIN

• The great horned owl can eat rodents and small animals whole.
• Larger prey are ripped apart and eaten at the nest.
• They prefer rabbits and hares.
• They also like to eat squirrels, minks, skunks, raccoons, armadillos, porcupines, moles, bats, muskrats.
• Sometimes they eat small dogs and cats.

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• They will even eat other owls except for the snowy owl.
• They eat birds like pigeons, hawks, ducks, swans.
• They even eat snakes, turtles, lizards, and young alligators. They also love snacking on frogs, insects and even road killed animals!

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• They hunt their food by perching on poles, trees and watch their prey.
• They glide slowly toward their prey with wings folded.
• The food they eat goes down and comes back up. The food that they throw up is called a "pellet."

OTHER INTERESTING FACTS

• The great horned owl is generally nocturnal. They hunt from dusk to dawn. But in some regions, they may be seen in late afternoon or early morning.
• They make different sounds like the males call "hoo-hoooooo Hoo-hoo and the males call is lower pitched. The females call "Karrooo-oo" or when intruders are attacking the call is like whaaaaaa-a-a-aarrk .

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• The Owls can live 29 to 38 years if they are captive.
• Wild owls live up to 13 years. They usually die if they get shot, get caught in a trap, or get run over.

Bye, bye!