Great Horned Owl

A Great Horned Owl

    The great horned owl is one of many owls in West Tennessee. It is found in most parts of America, living in the forests of the eastern United States and in canyons in the west. They will live in almost any habitat, from the country to a suburb, where the owl in the pictures was found. Great horned owls make the famous "whoo-hoo" call. The average great horned owl is about two feet tall with a wing span of nearly twice that: 44 inches long! Female owls weigh around 61 ounces, while males only weigh about 46 ounces. These owls do not usually build their own nests. Instead, they use old nests made from other animals.

    Great horned owls are easy to identify. They have rusty-brown, black, and white feathers and large yellow eyes. They are distinguishable from other owls by the large tufts of feathers that look like horns, hence their name.

    Owls are not picky eaters. They are carnivorous and most enjoy small mammals. They eat rabbits, worms, fish, snakes, birds including other owls, and even skunks.

    Special thanks to our cousin Rachel for sending us this picture of an owl that actually came up to her house.

                                                             Enjoy,

                                                              C&T