Bubo virginianus
Great Horned Owl. Courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
In Minnesota, the Great Horned Owl is usually found breeding in stands of trees or in woodlots bordering open fields in agricultural areas. They are the most common owl in Minnesota.
The density of the Great Horned Owl is usually quite low, averaging 0.10 to 0.20 nesting pairs/km2 in quality habitat. They are found in deciduous, coniferous, mixed forests, prairies, and some urban areas. They are not migratory and begin nesting in January or February, usually laying their eggs (2 or 3) in abandoned nests of squirrels, hawks, or crows, but sometimes nesting on cliff ledges or in hollow trees. They are highly sedentary, often capable of utilizing a single territory throughout their mature lives and are among the world’s most adaptable owls in terms of habitat.
The Great Horned Owl’s diet in Minnesota consists mainly of mice, voles, squirrels, and other small mammals, making up to 90 percent of its diet. Additionally, they feed on hawks, crows, waterfowl, and other birds, including smaller owls. They are also known to eat skunks, rabbits, reptiles, frogs, insects, and occasionally fish. This diverse diet makes them one of the most voracious of all raptors.
Identification*
General description: The great horned owl is a large bird of prey with large yellow eyes and feather tufts that look like horns.
Length: Between 18 and 25 inches.
Weight: From three to five pounds.
Color: Reddish brown, gray, black and white.
Sound: High-pitched screeches and loud hooting.
The global population is estimated to be at 6 million individuals across more than 20 subspecies, and they are not threatened with extinction.
This article is adapted from content compiled by Bing AI & GPT-4 in December 2023. Queries: What is the habitat and geographic distribution of the Great Horned Owl in Minnesota? What is the diet of Great Horned Owl in Minnesota? *Identification from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
