GREAT HORNED OWL

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)

Permanent resident.

A common but generally inconspicuous species nesting in a variety of urban and rural habitats statewide in Ohio. After the screech owl this is Ohio's most common owl.

While preferring to nest in the cavities of large trees, great horned owls will also utilize the abandoned nests of hawks, crows, and herons as well as artificial nests constructed from old tires.

They are most commonly found nesting in areas characterized by agricultural fields interspersed with woodlots and wooded riparian corridors.

Along riparian corridors they frequently perch on overhanging limbs in the mid to upper canopy above the stream. In these situations they are most often seen by the careful observer dropping off a limb and silently retreating into the seclusion of the adjacent woodlands.

Photo courtesy of Peter LaTourrette