Great Horned Owl | Size, Habitat, & Facts | Britannica

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External Websites

• NCpedia - Great Horned Owl
• Missouri Department of Conservation - Great Horned Owl
• The Peregrine Fund - Great Horned Owl
• Animal Corner - Great Horned Owl � A Symbol of Wisdom and Strength
• The CornellLab of Ornithology - All About Birds - Great Horned Owl
• Hinterland Who's Who - Great Horned Owl
• American Bird Conservancy - Great Horned Owl
• The University of British Columbia - Department of Zoology - Great Horned Owls
• Maryland Department of Natural Resource - Great Horned Owl
• Animal Diversity Web - Great horned owl

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great horned owl bird Ask Anything Also known as: Bubo virginianus Written and fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors History Britannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything

great horned owl, (Bubo virginianus), horned owl species that ranges from Arctic tree limits south to the Strait of Magellan. A powerful, mottled-brown predator, it is often more than 2 feet (60 cm) long, with a wingspan often approaching 80 inches (200 cm). It usually eats small rodents and birds but has been known to carry off larger prey. Adapted to desert and forest, the species migrates only when food is scarce.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.