Great Horned Owl

• This large majestic owl is mainly nocturnal. It is easily identified by its large yellow eyes, and it's ear tuffs.
  

• The great horned owl is very adaptable, and it will live in a variety of habitats throughout all of North America. It lives in forests, woodlands, and thickets, along streams, in open country, deserts, canyons, cliffs, and even city parks. It makes its home in hollowed out trees.
  

• Its call is a series of 3 classic deep resonant "hoo, hoo hoo". The great horned owl can also hiss, screech, scream, and clack its beak.
  

• One of the most identifying characteristics of the great horned owl is its ear tufts, which are actually feathers that come to a point on the top of its head and look like horns. That is how it got its name. The owl can raise or lower these tuffs to show its mood.
  

• Great horned owls prefer to hunt at dusk and dawn. They have excellent hearing and night vision but can also see in daylight. The great horned owl eats rodents, rabbits, small birds, and occasionally skunks. Their fringed feathers on their wings help them to fly silently and sneak up on their prey.
  

• In February and March, the female lays 1-5 eggs. The newborn owlets are blind and helpless. By 8 weeks of age, the owlets are fully feathered and capable of short flights but unable to hunt for prey. The parents feed the babies until fall. More then half of young owls die in their first year. Those that survive can live to be 14 years of age.