Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)


Group	Owls
Code	ABNSB05010
Order	Strigiformes
Family	Strigidae
Author	(Gmelin, 1788)
Rank	G5 (definitions)
Occurrence	P (definitions)
Scale	C (definitions)

County List:


Western UP	all
Eastern UP	all
Northern LP	all
Southern LP	all

Rule:

Forested or Mixed Forested/Nonforested Landscapes

Nesting and Foraging Habitat Requirements may be distributed over the COMPARTMENT

Nesting Habitat:
      (Any Forested Upland Except Conifer Plantations (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Any Lowland Deciduous (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
      or (Mixed Lowland Hardwoods (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
   containing:
      (Snags or Living Cavity Trees)

Foraging Habitat 1st alternative:
      (Any Forested Upland (Regen))
      or (Any Lowland Deciduous (Regen))
      or (Mixed Lowland Hardwoods (Regen))
      or Fields/Pasture
   adjacent to:
      Edge

Foraging Habitat 2nd alternative:
      or Grass
      or Upland Brush

view decision rule term definitions

Habitat List:

Habitats	Regen	Sap	Pole	Sm Saw	Lg Saw	Uneven
Aspen	YES	no	no	YES	YES	-
Paper Birch	YES	no	no	YES	YES	-
Oak	YES	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Assorted Hardwoods	YES	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Northern Hardwoods	YES	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Spruce/Fir	YES	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Hemlock	YES	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Jack Pine	YES	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Red Pine	YES	no	no	YES	YES	YES
White Pine	YES	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Conifer Plantations	YES	no	no	no	no	-
Mixed Upland Hardwoods	YES	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Mixed Northern Hardwoods	YES	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Mixed Upland Conifer	YES	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Mixed Pine	YES	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Swamp Hardwoods	YES	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Balsam Poplar & Swamp Aspen & Swamp Birch	YES	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Bottomland Hardwoods	YES	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Tamarack	no	no	no	no	no	no
Northern White Cedar	no	no	no	no	no	no
Black Spruce	no	no	no	no	no	no
Mixed Lowland Hardwoods	YES	no	no	YES	YES	YES
Mixed Lowland Conifer	no	no	no	no	no	no
Non-Forested	Grass, Upland Brush, Fields/Pastures
Special Features	Snags, Living Cavity Trees, Edges

view size class definitions

Literature:

Carpenter, T. W. 1991. Great Horned Owl. Pages 240-241 In: R. Brewer, G. A. McPeek, and R. J. Adams, Jr. (eds.) The atlas of breeding birds of Michigan. Michigan State University Press, East Lansing. 594 pp.

Habitat: The Great Horned Owl inhabits deciduous and coniferous woodlots throughout the state. Larger woodlots may be preferred but the availability of suitable nest sites probably most influences the choice of nesting woodlots, as this owl does not construct a nest but simply nests in old hawk, heron, or squirrel nests, tree cavities, or the hollowed-out tops of tree stumps. During the day Great Horned Owls roost in thick foliage. In winter, coniferous trees and deciduous trees that retain their leaves, such as beech and oaks, are preferred roost sites and the same roost sites are regularly used. Quite tolerant of man, Great Horned Owls occupy remnant woodlots in many urban areas.

Although recorded in all major types of forests found in the state, this species is probably uncommon in areas of continuous forest since birds do not hunt in the interior of woodlots but from elevated perches on the edges and in open areas. Also Brogie did not find this species in a raptor survey in the extensively wooded Huron Mountains. Thus, the Great Horned Owl is better adapted to the small, scattered woodlots which prevail in southern Michigan; here it has replaced the Barred Owl, which was undoubtedly Michigan's most abundant owl prior to European settlement.

DeGraaf, R. M. and D. D. Rudis. 1986. New England wildlife: habitat, natural history, and distribution. GTR NE-108. Broomall, PA:USDA, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 491 pp.

Habitat: Breeding: Deep woods remote from populated areas, large farm woodlots, often in deep swamps near a large stream or woodland pond. Mixed countryside of forest and fields. Wintering: same as breeding.

Special Habitat Requirements: Large abandoned birds' nests or large cavities for nesting.

Kaufman, K. 1996. Lives of North American Birds. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 675 pp.

Habitat: Forests, woodlots, streamsides, open country. Found in practically all habitats in North America, from swamps to deserts to northern coniferous forest near treeline. In breeding season avoids tundra and unbroken grassland, since it requires some trees or heavy brush for cover.

Diet: Varied, mostly mammals and birds. Mammals make up majority of diet in most regions. Takes many rats, mice, and rabbits, also ground squirrels, opossums, skunks, many others. Eats some birds (especially in north), up to size of geese, ducks, hawks, and smaller owls. Also eats snakes, lizards, frogs, insects, scorpions, rarely fish.

Nest: Typically uses old nest of other large bird, such as hawk, eagle, crow, heron, usually 20-60 feet above ground; also may nest on cliff ledge, in cave, in broken-off tree stump, sometimes on ground. May take over newly built hawk nest. Adds little or no nest material, aside from feathers at times.