great horned owl release

Great Horned Owl
(Bubo virginianus virginianus)

The great-horned owl pictured here came to the Center from another rehabilitation facility in April, 2005. He had been hit by a car and sustained a permanent injury. While this bird is too aggressive and prone to stress to participate in most of our education programs, he has successfully helped to raise several great-horned owlets at the Center.

great horned owlet chick

One baby great-horned owlet
successfully fostered and released!

The great-horned owl is considered the fiercest and most aggressive owl of North America, and they are second overall in size only to the Snowy Owl. They have very distinctive ear tufts and are a combination of dark and buffy brown with a white throat and upper chest.

Their general aspect is glaring with an angry expression. The feet and talons are large and extremely powerful. The eyes are a highly conspicuous yellow and very large, though often narrowed to mere slits. When perched, this owl normally sits very erect and almost always with its ear tufts fully raised and quite prominent. Its wings are long and broad, and the average wingspan for males is 52.6" and for a female 56.3"

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