The great horned owl is found throughout North America in swamps, forests, and deserts. It is a powerful predator with a hooked beak and razor-sharp talons, taking prey as large as geese, but also feeding on rabbits, mice, ground squirrels and frogs.

These owls are perfectly adapted to hunting at night. They have bright yellow eyes as large as a human’s, their feathers have softened edges so they can fly silently, and their hearing is excellent. Because their ear openings are higher on one side of the head than the other, owls can precisely locate their prey, even in complete darkness. In the Wenatchee River Watershed, great horned owls nest in late winter and incubate eggs in February. They do not build their own nest but typically use an old nest of a hawk, crow, or eagle. Eggs are incubated by the female while the male provides food for her. The young owlets leave the nest at about 5 weeks but are unable to fly at first. They climb through branches and are cared for by both parents even after they learn to fly.

Listen for the great horned owl’s deep, muffled hoots echoing through the woods. Hoo hoodoo hoooo hoo.