Diet
What do great horned owls eat?
Powerful generalist — rabbits, skunks, other owls, ducks and rodents.
Owls (Strigidae)Great Horned OwlBubo virginianus
Spring and summer diet
- Rabbits, rats, snakes and frogs
Fall and winter diet
- Rabbits, squirrels, skunks and other raptors
Best feeder foods
- None — hunts live prey after dark
Nests in midwinter; listen for duetting pairs in December and January, even in suburbs.
Where great horned owls need winter food
Regions where great horned owls are present in the cold months:
AlabamaAlaskaAlbertaArizonaArkansasBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineManitobaMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNewfoundland and LabradorNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNorthwest TerritoriesNova ScotiaOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaPrince Edward IslandQuebecRhode IslandSaskatchewanSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingYukon
Frequently asked
What do great horned owls eat?
Powerful generalist — rabbits, skunks, other owls, ducks and rodents.
What is the best food to feed great horned owls?
None — hunts live prey after dark.
What do great horned owls eat in winter?
Rabbits, squirrels, skunks and other raptors.
Sources
- Great Horned Owl — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Great Horned Owl life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Great Horned Owl — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
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.