Minnesota · Year-round resident

Great Horned Owls in Minnesota

When great horned owls are present in Minnesota, when they nest, which native Minnesota plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–5b yard.

Owls (Strigidae)Great Horned OwlBubo virginianus

Status in Minnesota: Year-round resident
Nesting window: February–April
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3a–5b

When to expect great horned owls in Minnesota

Great Horned Owls live in Minnesota all year. Temperatures below 0°F are routine — heated water, suet and roost boxes are survival aids, not extras. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Continental, with very cold winters and warm summers; prairie in the west, boreal forest in the northeast.

Nesting in Minnesota

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

A short, intense breeding season; most nesting runs May through July.

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

Native Minnesota plants that attract great horned owls

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

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Acorns and bark insects.

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.

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.

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Feeding great horned owls through the Minnesota year

Top foods: None — hunts live prey after dark.
In Minnesota's winter: Temperatures below 0°F are routine — heated water, suet and roost boxes are survival aids, not extras.

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

Frequently asked

Are great horned owls in Minnesota year-round?

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

When do great horned owls nest in Minnesota?

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

What native plants attract great horned owls in Minnesota?

Bur oak, Serviceberry, White oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Spicebush, New England aster, Tall goldenrod are native plants in Minnesota that provide food or cover for great horned owls.

Other backyard birds in Minnesota

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird 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 Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Canada Jay Eurasian Collared-Dove American Crow Common Raven 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 Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Winter Wren Pine Grosbeak Red Crossbill Field Sparrow Gray Catbird Lark Sparrow Hooded Merganser Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Black-and-white Warbler Prothonotary Warbler Ovenbird Yellow-breasted Chat Palm Warbler Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Eastern Wood-Pewee Least Flycatcher 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 Osprey Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Black-backed Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Dickcissel Common Redpoll Hoary Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Bohemian Waxwing Yellow-billed Cuckoo Bobolink Yellow-headed Blackbird Brewer's 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.