Bubo virginianus = amerikanischer Uhu/= Great Horned Owl

Deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests, tropical rainforests, pampas, prairie, mountainous areas, deserts, subarctic tundra, rocky coasts, mangrove swamps, and some urban areas.

Individuals range in length from 46 to 68 cm (18 to 27 inches) and have a wingspan of 101 to 152 cm (40 to 60 inches). An average Great Horned Owl is 55 cm (22 inches) long, has a wingspan of 124 cm (49 inches) and weighs about 1400 grams (3.1 lbs). Generally, the largest owls are found closer to the Polar regions and the smallest owls are found closer to the Equator. Females are larger than males. Adults have large ear tufts, a reddish, brown or gray face and a white patch on the throat. The iris is yellow, except in the race B. v. nacurutu where it is amber. The ear tufts are not actually ears, but simply tufts of feathers. The underparts are light with brown barring; the upper parts are mottled brown. The legs and feet are covered in feathers up to the talons. There are individual and regional variations in color; birds from the sub-Arctic are a washed-out, light-buff color, while those from Central America can be a dark chocolate brown. Owls also have spectacular binocular vision needed to pinpoint prey and see in the dark. Because owls cannot move their eyes like we can, their neck must be able to turn a full 270 degrees in order to see in other directions without moving its entire body. An owl's hearing is as good — if not better — than its vision. Owls have stereo hearing that allows them to find the exact location of their prey.

Usually 2 eggs per clutch, with a clutch ranging in size from 1 to 5 eggs (5 is very rare). The average egg breadth is 46.5 mm (1.8 inches), the average length is 55.2 mm (2.2 inches) and the average weight is 51 grams. Brooding is almost continuous until the offspring are about 2 weeks old, after which it decreases. Young owls move onto nearby branches at 6 weeks and start to fly about a week later. The offspring have still been seen begging for food in late October (5 months after leaving the nest) and most do not separate from their parents until right before they start to reproduce for the next clutch (usually December). Birds may not breed for another year or two, and are often vagrants ("floaters") until they establish their own territories. All adult Great Horned Owls are permanent residents of their territories. Eggs, nestlings and fledgings may be preyed on by foxes, coyotes, wild or feral cats and racoons and their cousins. There are almost no predators of adults, but they may be killed in confrontations with eagles, Snowy Owls and, mostly, other Great Horned Owls, which may end in the eating of the dead owl.

Hunt at night by waiting on a high perch and swooping down on prey. Prey is quite variable, but is predominantly small to medium-sized mammals such as rats, squirrels, mice, rabbits, voles, marmots, skunks, shrews, bats, raccoons, house cats and even porcupines. Locally, hares and rabbits can comprise a great majority of subsistence for Great Horned Owls.

Birds comprise the other large portion of Great Horned Owl prey, with birds ranging in size from kinglets to Great Blue Herons being taken. Locally, waterbirds (coots/ducks), can be important prey; raptors up to the size of Snowy Owls and Ospreys are sometimes taken. Reptiles, amphibians, fish, crustaceans and even insects are occasional prey. In northern regions, where larger prey that cannot be eaten quickly are most prevalent, they may let uneaten food freeze and then thaw it out later using their own body heat. They also tend to eat and regurgitate food in the same locations. Great Horned Owls are often said to be the most dangerous owl, and it is reportedly the only bird of prey that has been known to kill a human being, but it should be noted that these attacks are never predatory, and that the only known fatal attack was triggered by the victim, who was trying to steal eggs or chicks from the owl's nest. Other species of owl will also attack to protect their young.

Excellent hearing and exceptional vision in low light. Their hearing has better depth perception than human hearing and better perception of sound elevation (up-down direction). The latter is possible because owl ears are not placed in the same position on either side of their head: the right ear is typically set higher in the skull and at a slightly different angle. By tilting or turning

its head until the sound is the same in each ear, an owl can pinpoint both the horizontal and vertical direction of a sound. The eyes of Great Horned Owls are also nearly as large as those of humans and are immobile within their sockets. Instead of turning their eyes, they turn their heads.

Their call is a low-pitched but loud "ho-ho-hoo hoo hoo." Sometimes it is only four syllables instead of five. The female's call is higher and rises in pitch at the end of the call. Young owls make hissing or screeching sounds that are often confused with the calls of Barn Owls.

[JJ Kleber]

Bubo virgianus = Waldohreule

Essenz: Schaut von Oen auf alles und erkennt mit durchdringender Weisheit auch als moralischer Kompass; alles dreht sich um Wissen und Lehren; als alte weise Seele lehrt wenn es nötig ist, um andere durch schwierige Situationen zu helfen, zu wirklichem Verstehen zu helfen.

Problem: wegen Ruhe und Weisheit zu detached

Leitsymptome: fair, unerschütterlich ruhig (auch in hektischer Umgebung); Abneigung gegen Smalltalk; will alleine sein

Pathologie: Sehstörungen (verschwommen, Akkkomodationsstörung); Probleme mit Nacken, Schulter und Armen

Vergleich: Siehe: Aves

Allerlei: N. and S. America

Vorwort/Suchen Zeichen/Abkürzungen Impressum