Great Horned Owl
Scientific Name: Bubo virginianus
Habitat: dense forests, deserts, plains, city parks
Diet: mainly small mammals; also birds, reptiles, amphibians
Life span: 13 years (29-30 years in captivity)
Young: 2-4 eggs/clutch
Size: 900–2300 g (2–5 lbs)
This large and heavy owl is Alberta’s provincial bird.
The great horned owl can carry prey that is 2 to 3 times heavier than its own weight because it has very strong talons. These owls prefer to eat hares, rabbits and mice. As they have a poor sense of smell, great horned owls will also eat skunks.
Learn more about this species:
These are some other websites that we think have more great information about this species.
Great horned owl on Animal Diversity Web
For More Information
Edmonton Valley Zoo
13315 Buena Vista Road (87th Avenue)
PO Box 2359
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2R7
| attractions@edmonton.ca |
Range
Range: North, Central, and South America
Status in the Wild
Status: thriving
