Bubo virginianus

Biological Overview

Habitat
They live in forest, woodland, stream sites, and open countries. From swamps to deserts to northern forests is where they live.

Diet
The great horned owls diet includes variation of animals like rats, mice, insects, and rabbits.

Role in Ecosystem
The great horned owl are apex predators. They are carnivores and they balance out the ecosystem by eating all sorts of animals.

Behavior
They begin nesting very early in the north. They teach their young how to hunt. Parents take part in providing food for their young, which they hunt at night.

Human Impact

Humans impact the great horned owl negatively. Rapid urbanization which includes adding barbed wire, highways, etc., which ruin their habitat and cause accidental deaths. Toxic contamination also affects great horned owls as many people neglect and use hazardous chemicals that very easily kill owls. Finally, individuals that hunt, trap, and purposely poison cause a lot of deaths for the great horned owl. Overall, rapid urbanization, individuals, and contamination are example of how humans negatively affect the great horned owl population.

Creative Exploration

My Adventure

With variety of color,
Rural land is my mother,
Lurking from the shadows,
Hunting my prey with silence,
My young waiting,
For the delicious food I hunted for them,
So they can grow big and strong,
Then dawn comes and the cycle repeats.

Kamden Kempf, Cameron Richardson, Giovanni Masiero

Book 6