Great Horned Owl
It is always great to find an Owl in an open perch.
Of all the North American Owls, the Great Horned Owl is the most adaptable to various habitats and climatic conditions. They can be found in every Province and State including Alaska. They can be seen in swamps, deserts, parklands, and boreal forests. Edmonton has an extensive river valley park system and this is where I found this one.
The Great Horned Owl is the official bird of the Province of Alberta. It has a healthy status here. They are the most aggressive of the North American Owls and will vigorously defend their nesting sites. They take over an abandoned nest of a hawk or crow and do nothing to improve it. Sometimes the nest they chose is in such a state of disrepair that their eggs and young fall through holes and die. Up here their most common prey species are Hares, Richardson’s Ground Squirrels, and Pocket Gophers. They will also catch birds and even Skunks as well. I know personally of a couple of cats that were killed by Great Horned Owls. They will kill competing Owl species as well.
The vocalization of this Owl is mainly responsible for the “whooo-whooo- whooooo- whooo-whooo” call we associate with Owls. Many other Owl species don’t make this sound at all.
Gold Bar Park. Edmonton. Alberta. March 16, 2009.
Great Horned Owl
It is always great to find an Owl in an open perch.
Of all the North American Owls, the Great Horned Owl is the most adaptable to various habitats and climatic conditions. They can be found in every Province and State including Alaska. They can be seen in swamps, deserts, parklands, and boreal forests. Edmonton has an extensive river valley park system and this is where I found this one.
The Great Horned Owl is the official bird of the Province of Alberta. It has a healthy status here. They are the most aggressive of the North American Owls and will vigorously defend their nesting sites. They take over an abandoned nest of a hawk or crow and do nothing to improve it. Sometimes the nest they chose is in such a state of disrepair that their eggs and young fall through holes and die. Up here their most common prey species are Hares, Richardson’s Ground Squirrels, and Pocket Gophers. They will also catch birds and even Skunks as well. I know personally of a couple of cats that were killed by Great Horned Owls. They will kill competing Owl species as well.
The vocalization of this Owl is mainly responsible for the “whooo-whooo- whooooo- whooo-whooo” call we associate with Owls. Many other Owl species don’t make this sound at all.
Gold Bar Park. Edmonton. Alberta. March 16, 2009.