The Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus virginianus) 



By I. N. Mitchell 



Length, about 22 inches. The great size and long ear tufts sufficiently dis- 

 tinguishes this cwl. 



Range: Resident over the greater part of North and South America. 



This, our largest owl, inhabits heavily forested and unsettled regions and is 

 becoming more and more rare in thickly populated areas. It is well known by 

 its far reaching call- — "hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" — which is heard best in the still small 

 hours of the night, when it echoes across the expanse of canyon and forest in 

 the far west. 



This owl destroys many partridges and other game birds, and unhoused 

 poultry is never safe from its nocturnal attacks. Its deeds are those of darkness, 

 since usually it hunts only at night, though when disturbed in the daytime it can 

 see well enough to take good care of itself. Its bill of fare is a long one and 

 includes many kinds of mammals and birds. It is one of the few creatures 

 which when hungry do not hesitate to attack the skunk, and it appears to have no 

 great difficulty in killing this rather formidable little beast. That it does not 

 always do so with entire impunity is evident from the odor frequently attaching 

 to its feathers. Its destruction of rodents entitles it to our gratitude, especially 

 when it kills pocket gophers, rats, mice, ground squirrels and rabbits. In some 

 parts of the west rabbits are responsible for much damage to orchards and crops 

 and consequently their reduction is a blessing. Nevertheless the protection of 

 this big and fierce owl cannot be recommended on sound economic grounds. 



Most abundant in heavy timber; nest, coarse, of sticks, bark, and feathers; 

 eggs, tzvo or three, zvhite; note, a prolonged zvhoo-hoo-hoo; begins nesting in 

 February. 



How those great yellow eyes wath their black pupils stare out from under the 

 long ear tufts! Horns? No, they are not really horns, they are soft and harm- 

 less but appear enough like horns to get the name and certainly give this little 

 fellow a fiercer appearance than he would have without them. Our little screech 

 owl has similar ear-tufts and is accordingly sometimes called the little horned owl. 



There is a very keen pair of ears under those tufts of feathers, for night 

 hunting demands sharp ears as well as sharp eyes and soft feathers. 



It is quite likely that these staring eyes and bristling ears serve the great 

 horned owl a good purpose. Imagine them peering from the dense leafage ; how 

 like a wdld cat he would look ! He needs to look fierce, for he has to sit around 

 all day, and though he chooses the thickest woods and tries to hide among the 

 branches and leaves, he is nevertheless often discovered by smaller birds that 

 regard him as their mortal enemy. The crow, the jay, the kingbird, and others 

 of the flycatcher tribe, especially, torment him, while other less courageous birds 



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