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Bubo virginianus
Plate — illustration to come
Year-round residentNative · New Jersey

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

Strigidae

The classic 'hoot owl' of American nights and NJ's largest owl. Immensely powerful — Great Horned Owls kill and eat skunks, opossums, other raptors, and full-sized rabbits. Named for the prominent 'horns' (feather tufts) on the head. Nests earliest of any NJ bird — often incubating eggs in January under a foot of snow.

Identify by

How to spot one.

  • 17–25 inches, wingspan up to 5 feet

  • Warm mottled brown overall with fine barring

  • Prominent feather tufts ('horns') on the head

  • Bright yellow eyes

  • White throat patch below the face

Voice

What it sounds like.

The classic 'hoo-hoo-hoooo hoo-hoo' — deep resonant hoots, often given as a duet with the female higher-pitched than the male. Territorial hoots start in October and peak December–January.

Life & behavior

How it lives.

Silent hunter — the leading edge of the wing has fringe feathers that break up airflow, allowing near-silent flight. Nests in old hawk and crow nests or in tree cavities. Earliest nester of any NJ bird — begins courtship in October, lays eggs in December or January, chicks fledge before most other birds have arrived.

At a glance

The spec sheet.

Status
Year-round resident
Size
17.9–24.8 inches (wingspan up to 4.8 feet)
Present in NJ
Year-round
Native to NJ
Yes
Conservation status
stable
Family
Strigidae
Diet

What it eats.

Diet often shifts dramatically between breeding season and the rest of the year — especially for insectivorous birds that pivot to native berries in fall and winter.

Summer / breeding season

  • Rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, mice, rats

  • Skunks (one of the few animals that will eat them — Great Horned Owls have poor smell)

  • Opossums, cats (unfortunately)

  • Other birds up to Red-tailed Hawk size

  • Occasionally snakes, large insects

Fall / winter

  • Same as summer — Great Horned Owls do not migrate

  • Rabbits and squirrels remain the staple

  • Waterfowl on unfrozen water

Plants it uses

What it needs.

Native plants that feed this bird or provide shelter. Names in hydrangea link to the plant’s Field Guide entry.

  • Mixed forest with mature trees for roosting and nesting

    Cover / habitat

  • Forest edges with open hunting ground nearby

    Cover / habitat

Sources

Audubon Field Guide · NJ Audubon · All About Birds (Cornell)

More in this group

Other year-round residents.