When mice or … The Great Horned Owl mainly depends upon medium-size mammals and birds to rabbits and hares where available. In this article, I will detail just about everything you need to know about these magnificent raptors, including what they look like, what they eat, and how they live. Slightly larger than Barn Owls, they can have an expansive wingspan of up to 5 feet. Depending on the breed, these birds of prey may migrate during … The great horned owl is one of the most common owls in North America, found in a range of habitats that includes forests, swamps, deserts, tundra edges, tropical rain forests, cities, suburbs, and parks.If you live in North America, there’s a good chance you’ve heard the deep, soft, stuttering hoots of this owl… Less than 3% of all bird species are active at night, half of those are owls. They do not make their own nests. Different species of owls live in different habitats as certain species of owls live in wooded areas, rainforests, grassy plains and deserts. During the day they only cover about (2.6 km 2 ) (1 mi 2 ), so it is rare to spot them in daylight. Owls patiently stalk their […] Great-horned owl. Species : virginianus , meaning "of Virginia" where the first specimen of great horned owls was collected. Many owls, including the great gray and great horned species, live in old hawk or squirrel nests, while some, such as the snowy owl of the cold tundra and the short-eared owl, nest on the ground. Owls can live in trees, hollowed-out logs, inside cactus, a hole in the ground, barns or the abandoned nests of other birds. Most owls sleep during the day and emerge at night to hunt. Burrowing owls live in old mammal burrows, and others prefer to nest in tree cavities. Despite its name, the great horned owl doesn’t actually have horns. The bird's feathers are brown to gray, except for the ones on its throat, which are white. Instead it has tufts of feathers on either side of its head, which resemble horns or ears. Great horned owls are related to the eagle owl of Eurasia. By far the most powerful and aggressive of Pennsylvania’s owls. Great Horned Owls are capable of handling a wide variety of prey, ranging in size from shrews and songbirds to skunks and geese. The common name "horned owl" comes from the large ear tufts. Great horned owls may be active during the day or night, but are mostly nocturnal. The great horned owl is an avian apex predator, and perhaps the finest predator to have ever lived.