Hoo-hoo lives here? Great horned owls do!
- Meghan McMahon
- Sep 5
- 3 min read
When you think of owls, you probably think of forests like the Hundred Acre Wood in “Winnie-the-Pooh.” Great horned owls don’t just live in forests, though.
The next time you spend time in your backyard at night, stop and listen. Is that hooting you hear in the distance? It could be. Even though great horned owls do spend time in and near forests, they also hang out in the suburbs like humans do.
A diverse habitat
The habitat of the great horned owl spans from forests, wetlands, grasslands and deserts to backyards and cities. As long as there are areas of trees and fields, then there is habitat for these owls. They use the forests for nesting. Hunting is done in fields. You might even spot one or hear one in your own backyard.
Hooting call
The hoot of a great horned owl is what you think of when you read about an owl in a storybook. This owl got the nickname “hoot owl” for that reason.
The call of the great horned owl sounds like this: hoo-h Hoo-hoo-hoo. Listen here:
Like other owls, the great horned owl hoots to defend its territory or call to its mate or young. When you hear a male and a female calling back and forth to one another, the female call has the higher pitch.
This hooting call isn’t the only call that these owls have. Young owls will scream for food. Adults might scream to defend their nest. Other calls that adult owls make include barks, shrieks, hisses, whistles, coos and wavering cries.
Soundless flight
You won’t hear great horned owls in flight. That’s because their wings are fringed like the teeth of a comb. This makes them nearly silent when they are flying. Many owl species have this adaptation, and it helps them to hunt their prey.
Words to know
Fringed: Having a natural border or edging of hair or fibers.
Scurry: To move hurriedly with short, quick steps.
Stealthily: In a cautious manner, so as not to be seen or heard.
Scientists are still unsure if this adaptation is to make the owl stealthier in flight so it can better surprise its prey or if it is to cut down on flight noise so the owl can hear its prey better in the dark. What do you think this adaptation is used for?
What’s on the menu?
Speaking of food, great horned owls are carnivores, which means they eat meat. They will eat anything from mammals and other birds and owls to frogs and scorpions.
They hunt animals big and small. Even groundhogs should be concerned about this predator. If you see some of these critters scurrying through your backyard, then you might have the food that a great horned owl is looking for. That’s one of the benefits of having them around. They eat a lot of rodents, so they help control rodent populations around the homes near where they live.
One way to bring owls to your backyard is by installing a nesting box or platform. Great horned owls use nesting platforms or cones.
To put a nesting box or cone in your yard, you will need a large tree that is at least 12 inches in diameter. You’ll also need some tools and building materials and a grownup to help you.
Because great horned owls like to nest up high, you might need to hire a professional to install the box in the tree. Be sure to place your nesting box in a tree in the fall so the owls can locate it by January. Great horned owls nest from mid-February to mid-April.
You can find plans for nesting boxes for great horned owls and many other birds from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
