Bubo virginianus
Woods, deserts, and city parks across most of the continent. Rarely a clear track. Look for a large pellet of fur and bone under a roost.
What does a great horned owl look like?
A large owl with ear tufts and a white throat. Yellow eyes.
What do great horned owl tracks look like?
Owls seldom leave a readable trail. A large fur pellet under a dense evergreen is the sign.
- Rarely a clear track. Look for a large pellet of fur and bone under a roost
- Ear tufts if seen
- White throat patch
- Heavy barred chest
- Whitewash on a limb or a building ledge
What does great horned owl poop look like?
Whitewash and a pellet of fur and bones under the roost. The pellet is more useful than droppings. Do not handle droppings. Several species carry parasites that stay in the soil around a latrine.
Where you find it
Woods, deserts, and city parks across most of the continent. Typical places: woods, field, yard. Year-round in much of the range. Some move south for winter.
What to do next
- Watch from a distance
- Do not approach a nest
- If a bird is injured, call a local wildlife rehabilitator
This page is a field guide, not a permit to approach wildlife. If an animal is injured, aggressive, or inside a house, call a local wildlife officer.
Animals it is confused with
- Barred owl identification
- Bald eagle identification
- All animal identification pages
- Identify an animal from a photo, track, or description
What does great horned owl sign look like?
Whitewash and a gray pellet of fur and bone under a dense tree.
How to tell a great horned owl from similar animals
Use the track, the dropping, and the place together. One print is not enough.
- Barred owl. No useful ground track. Round head, no ear tufts, dark eyes, brown bars across the chest.
- Bald eagle. A very large bird print with deep talon holes. Adults are dark with a white head and tail.
Great horned owl field marks
- Rarely a clear track. Look for a large pellet of fur and bone under a roost
- Ear tufts if seen
- White throat patch
- Heavy barred chest
Where the sign shows up
Woods, deserts, and city parks across most of the continent. Typical places: woods, field, yard. Year-round in much of the range. Some move south for winter.
Owls seldom leave a readable trail. A large fur pellet under a dense evergreen is the sign. Whitewash and a pellet of fur and bones under the roost. The pellet is more useful than droppings.
Common questions
What does great horned owl sign look like?
Whitewash and a gray pellet of fur and bone under a dense tree.