The Great Horned Owl,
Bubo virginianus, is a very large owl. Adults have large ear tufts,
a reddish face, a white patch on the throat and yellow eyes. The
underparts are light with brown barring; the upper parts are mottled
brown. The legs and feet are covered in feathers up to the talons.
There are regional variations in colour; birds farther north are
paler. Their breeding habitat is wooded or heavily shrubbed areas
across North America and parts of South America. They often take
over a nest used by some other large bird, sometimes adding feathers
to line the nest but usually not much more. They are permanent
residents, but may wander after the nesting season. These birds
wait on a high perch at night and swoop down on prey. They mainly
eat mammals, such as rats, mice, rabbits and skunks, and birds,
as well as smaller owls.
In northern regions,
they may let uneaten food freeze and then thaw it out later using
their own body heat. They have excellent hearing and exceptional
vision in low light conditions. The call is a low-pitched hoo
hoo hoo hoo, sometimes with five syllables rather than four. The
Great Horned Owl is the provincial bird for Alberta.
Above Images From The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service