Snow lay on the ground and the cold wind rattled the dry leaves. According to the calendar it was late March, but it felt like midwinter. On a sandy ridge stood several huge, fire-scarred black oaks, in one of which, about fifteen feet from the ground, just where the massive trunk divided to form three sturdy branches, was a large, snow-covered stick nest. The nest had probably originally been constructed by a red-tailed hawk, but it now contained an adult great horned owl, incubating its eggs. The owl was scarcely visible; it had seen us and lowered itself into the nest cup so that only the top of its head and its ear tufts showed. It was obviously uneasy, and we, fearing it might take flight and leave its eggs unprotected, quickly went on our way. Several weeks later we were happy to see two young owls in this nest.
Butler considered the great horned owl a common permanent resident throughout the state, being the most common large owl in the southeastern portion. We do not know how present-day populations compare with those of the late 1890s, but the great horned owl is still commonly found everywhere in Indiana. Christmas bird count data offer the best index of numbers. As many as twenty-seven great horned owls have twice been recorded on Lafayette counts, and twenty-four were found on a Willow Slough count. More than ten per count have been reported at Richmond and Whitewater.
The presence of trees is the most important component of the habitat of this large owl; it occurs in forests, woodlands, cemeteries, residential areas, and anywhere there are roosting and nesting sites.
Some movements of this owl apparently take place, but we are unable to offer any details. Banded great horned owls have been recovered some distance beyond what would be considered their normal home range.
Although calling evidently occurs throughout the year, there is usually a noticeable increase in September and October. Mating takes place in the fall, for eggs are laid during winter. The eggs are normally deposited in an old nest made by a crow, hawk, or other large bird, and sometimes on top of old squirrel nests. Nesting is not confined to structures among the tree branches; numerous nests are located in the hollows of broken-off trees. One pair nested in a gravel chute at a sand and gravel pit.
We have records of great horned owls observed on nests as early as February 2, but no doubt many birds nest even earlier than that. Eggs have been found in Indiana nests from February 13 to April 2. Eleven of fifteen nests contained two eggs each and four contained three eggs each.
The great horned owl is a powerful, bold predator, taking a wide variety of animals as food. The prey of this owl recorded in Indiana includes insects, mammals ranging in size from the least shrew to the striped skunk, and birds from the size of starlings to turkeys. One landowner lost fifty-nine guinea fowl to great horned owls one fall.
[Refer to Occurrence Chart to see when each species is likely to be at its height of abundance in the state.]
Created: 09 December 1998, LDB
Updated: 14 March 2000, JAW
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URL: http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/birds/bird154_1.html
Copyright: © 1984 by Indiana University Press
Paintings from the book, The Birds of Indiana,
published by Indiana University Press, Bloomington, Indiana
(1-800-842-6796).