General Information

Great Horned Owls are the largest owls found in Ohio and can be found throughout most of North, Central and South America. Their preferred habitat is open woodlots but they have also been spotted near farmlands and riparian areas and sometimes even hunt in residential areas. They used to be very abundant in the state but as Ohio began to develop much of its land their populations have declined.
 
They are the first owl each year in Ohio to breed and initiate nesting. Most Great Horned Owls will have their first young by late February or early March. Great Horned Owl's legs are covered in many feathers which help to keep them warm as they hunt for extra food in the late winter months to provide for their young. 

Meet Our Great Horned Owls

Our Great Horned Owl, Tamarack, resides in the Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden—presented by KeyBank at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

Life Span

Wild: 15-20 years
Captivity: 25-30 years
 

Fun Facts

• Great Horned Owls are sometimes referred to as the “Hoot Owl” because they are the only owl in Ohio whose call is the traditional, loud hoot that we think of when we think of the call an owl would make. They have also been called the “Tiger of the Sky” because they are very powerful hunters and have the ability to catch prey larger than themselves.
• A Great Horned Owls favorite prey is skunk. The Great Horned Owl does not have a sense of smell and a skunks black and white pattern makes them easily visible at night, when the Great Horned Owl is most active.
• Many people believe that the “horns” on the great horned owls head are its ears. The “horns” are actually feather tufts that help in camouflaging the owl among the trees it lives in.
• Great Horned Owls live on a diet of mostly small to medium size mammals and birds.