GREAT
HORNED OWL
#GHO-400
Notecards
Also available in Notecard Assortment Packs #AST-401,
#AST-402, #AST-403
& #AST-503
#LE-GHO-400 Limited Edition Print
The
great horned owl can be found throughout North and South America.
Its habitat varies from woodlands to open country and urban parks
to semi-deserts. Across its range, this owl can be found nesting
in tree or cactus cavities, nest boxes, cliff ledges and abandoned
crow, squirrel or hawk nests.
One
of the largest owls native to North America, it is 18 to 24 inches
tall and weighs about three pounds. Distinctive tufts of feathers
on top of its head have the appearance of horns. Its large feet
are feathered to the ends of the toes.
Few
birds are as well-equipped for pursuing and capturing prey. Considered
to have the most acute sense of hearing in the animal world, the
great horned owl has deep ear slits located on each side of its
head underneath sparse sound-transparent feathers. Prey more than
100 yards away can be detected.
In
addition to a keen sense of hearing, the horned owl possesses
excellent vision for hunting in the dark of night. Its eyes are
as large as a human’s and 35 times more sensitive. It can
see objects with about five percent the amount of light that a
human requires.
Due
to the shapes of their wings, and softly fringed feather edges,
great horned owls are able to fly in near silence and take their
prey by surprise. Powerful, sharp talons round out their arsenal
of natural weapons used for hunting small birds and animals.
Text © 1997 Dianne Harrah, Drawing ©
1997 Bill Harrah
.
. . BIRDS OF PREY . . . (Click on an image to
see the actual notecard size)