Great Horned Owls
On any of your recent night hikes have you heard the “whooo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo” of the great horned owl? Perhaps you know them as “hoot owls.” They were given this name because they are the only owls in Ohio whose call is the traditional “hoot” we think of when we think of owl calls. This call can carry long distances and on a still night can be heard up to a half mile or more away. Maybe you’ve heard them called by another name, Tigers of the Woods, as they are powerful and fierce nocturnal predators capable of catching prey larger than themselves. Once clenched this owl’s talons require a force of 28 pounds to open. Their name actually comes from their plumicorns – those tuffs of feathers on top their heads. These feathers aren’t horns or ears. They’re believed to be part of the bird’s camouflaging. Great horned owls are the most common owl in America, found across the continental U.S., Canada, Central and South America. They are the largest resident owl in Ohio measuring between 20-25 inches high with a wingspan of about five feet and the second most common owl after the Eastern screech owl.
Great horned owls are nesting right now. They’re the earliest nesting birds in the state. Mating begins with males hooting in mid to late fall. By late January the females have laid their eggs. They nest in old large stick nests built by red-tailed hawks, crows, bald eagles or great blue herons; or in large broken off tree snags or inside a large cavity in a tree. The female will sit on her nest protecting and keeping her eggs warm through the harshest winter weather. Her insulating down feathers allows her to keep the eggs at about 98 degrees Fahrenheit even when the temperature drops below zero. The chicks hatch in late February or March. At six to seven weeks old flight feathers emerge just as they start venturing outside the nest onto nearby tree limbs. And at nine or ten weeks old they are able to fly. During January and February these owls are very vocal as this is their peak courtship and mating season. These beautiful nocturnal birds aren’t easy to see, but if you listen quietly, you may hear them. You can often hear pairs calling to each other.
As an apex predator and a keystone species great horned owls play a vital role in the ecosystem. These birds thrive in diverse habitats, including forests, deserts and urban areas. They are opportunistic hunters and provide natural pest control as they consume large numbers of rodents such as mice and rats, rabbits and squirrels. This is a benefit to agriculture. They also prey on other small to medium sized mammals such as skunks and opossums, frogs, snakes, lizards, and insects and, in so doing, help control prey populations. They help in disease control by preying on sick, injured or weak animals. They are considered nutrient recyclers as their pellets add organic material to the soil. Their mere presence indicates a healthy, functioning ecosystem with a high biodiversity. Their biggest threat comes from human activity, and this includes light pollution. Let’s turn off all unnecessary lights to help these birds thrive at night and continue to do their part in the ecosystem.
If you’re interested in following a nesting great horned owl, this is a link for the Eagle Country Great Horned Owl Nest Live Cam in Southwest Florida. Enjoy!