Great horned owl wingspan3/2/2023 Great Horned Owls compared to other bird species Not bad for a bird that only weighs 2-5 pounds! These owls use their large feet and razor-sharp talons to grasp and kill their prey with a powerful grip strength of about 28lbs (13 kg). This is comparable to an adult human hand. Their feet can measure a whopping 8 in (20 cm) or so from talon tip to talon tip when fully extended. Great Horned Owls also have large feet with long talons. These owls use their huge, light-sensitive eyes to help them detect prey in low-light conditions. In fact, their eyes are similar in size to human eyes. Great Horned Owls are just a fraction of our size but they have remarkably large eyes. Their length is comparable to the knee height of an average person or an infant of 3 months old or so. Their long legs and bulky feathers create the appearance of a large, barrel-shaped bird of about 2 ft (60 cm) long from tail to bill. Great Horned Owls are far lighter than they appear, with an average weight of about 3.5 lb (1.5 kg). How big are Great Horned Owls compared to a human? Read along to learn more about the size of Great Horned Owls, one of America’s most iconic birds. This interesting relationship between body size and latitude can be seen in many birds and is thought to be an adaptation to colder climates. They become progressively smaller from north to south, with the smallest individuals occurring in Mexico. Across their wide distribution range, the biggest Great Horned Owls in North America occur in Alaska and the far northeast. There are at least 15 subspecies of Great Horned Owls, and each occurs in different geographical areas. Females also have a larger wingspan than males, although the difference is less pronounced than their weight. Great Horned Owls can measure over 2 ft (60cm) in length and can weigh up to 5.5 lb (2.5kg).įemale Great Horned Owls are significantly larger than males, a trait that is common in owls and other birds of prey. They are slightly smaller than the Snowy Owl and slightly larger than the Great Gray Owl. Great Horned Owls are probably the second largest owls in the United States. These powerful nocturnal hunters occur in most habitats and have adapted well to human-altered environments like farmland, suburban, and even urban environments. They are the largest owl species that bird watchers are likely to encounter across most of the continent. The Great Horned Owl ( Bubo virginianus) is one of the most widespread birds in North America.
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