Maryland · Year-round resident

Great Horned Owls in Maryland

When great horned owls are present in Maryland, when they nest, which native Maryland plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 6a–8a yard.

Owls (Strigidae)Great Horned OwlBubo virginianus

Status in Maryland: Year-round resident
Nesting window: January–April
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 6a–8a

When to expect great horned owls in Maryland

Great Horned Owls live in Maryland all year. Mild winters in the east with regular snow in the western mountains. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Humid subtropical on the Chesapeake coastal plain, cooler in the Appalachian west.

Nesting in Maryland

Across Maryland, great horned owls typically nest from January–April. Plan around that window: January for setup, April for clean-out.

Hot, humid summers around the Chesapeake.

Great Horned Owls don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, serviceberry, white oak for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after April.

Native Maryland plants that attract great horned owls

Of the regional native plants we track for Maryland, these 8 provide food or cover great horned owls use:

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Arrowwood viburnum

Viburnum dentatum · Shrub

Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin · Shrub

Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.

New England aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae · Perennial

Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.

Feeding great horned owls through the Maryland year

Top foods: None — hunts live prey after dark.
In Maryland's winter: Mild winters in the east with regular snow in the western mountains.

Full diet breakdown for great horned owls · Best feeder for great horned owls

Frequently asked

Are great horned owls in Maryland year-round?

Yes. Great Horned Owls are year-round residents in Maryland.

When do great horned owls nest in Maryland?

Nesting in Maryland typically runs January–April, with 1 per season. Clutches are 1–4 eggs, incubated for 28–37 days.

What native plants attract great horned owls in Maryland?

Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Spicebush, New England aster are native plants in Maryland that provide food or cover for great horned owls.

Other backyard birds in Maryland

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Carolina Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carolina Wren Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown-headed Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow American Crow Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Barred Owl American Kestrel Wood Duck Wild Turkey Northern Bobwhite Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Scarlet Tanager Eastern Meadowlark Brown-headed Cowbird Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Winter Wren Red Crossbill Field Sparrow Gray Catbird Lark Sparrow Hooded Merganser Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Black-and-white Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler Prothonotary Warbler Ovenbird Yellow-breasted Chat Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo White-eyed Vireo Eastern Wood-Pewee Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Eastern Whip-poor-will Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper American Woodcock Green Heron Great Egret Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Black Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Barn Owl Savannah Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Horned Lark Dickcissel Blue Grosbeak White-winged Crossbill Brown-headed Nuthatch Yellow-billed Cuckoo Rusty Blackbird Rock Pigeon

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.