Quick Answer
Yes, Great Horned Owls do make a screeching sound. The screeches, hoots, and calls of Great Horned Owls are iconic sounds of the night. These large, powerful owls use their vocalizations to communicate with other owls and to establish territories. The most familiar call of the Great Horned Owl is a deep, booming “hoo-hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo” sound. They also make higher-pitched screeches, shrieks, and wails, particularly during the nesting season. The wide variety of vocalizations from Great Horned Owls can be eerie and frightening to hear in the dark.
What Does a Great Horned Owl Sound Like?
Great Horned Owls produce a range of vocalizations from deep hoots to high-pitched screeches. Here are some of the most common Great Horned Owl calls:
– Classic “hoo-hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo” territorial call – This deep, resonant hooting is most often heard during breeding season as the owls establish territories and attract mates. It carries for miles through the night.
– Higher-pitched screeches and screams – Great Horned Owls will make loud, screeching screams when defending nests or interacting aggressively at close range. The screeches often descend in pitch.
– Chuckling or barking sounds – These choppy vocalizations sound similar to a dog’s bark. Owls may make these calls during aggressive encounters.
– Wailing cries – Primarily heard from females before and during breeding, these wavering cries sound like a high-pitched whining.
– Begging calls from young owlets – Hungry owlets in the nest let out raspy, hissing squeals while waiting for food from the parents.
– Hissing, bill-snapping – Great Horned Owls will hiss and snap their bills as a defensive threat at predators or other intruders near the nest.
– Non-vocal sounds like clapping – Owls may communicate with claps of their wings or bills in addition to vocalizations.
The wide range of sounds in the Great Horned Owl’s vocabulary enables them to convey different messages from claiming territories to defending nests or begging for food. The calls carry far at night when the owls are most active.
Why Do Great Horned Owls Screech?
Great Horned Owls screech for several reasons:
– Defending territories – Fiercely territorial, Great Horned Owls will scream to warn rival owls away from their domain. These agonistic calls communicate aggression and dominance.
– Communicating with mates – High-pitched wailing or screaming can help the male and female owl stay in contact with each other. This is especially important during the early breeding season.
– Protecting nests – Nesting owls become very defensive and will screech at any perceived threat near the nest tree. The screams may try to scare away potential predators.
– Begging calls – Hungry owlet chicks emit raspy screeches to let the parents know they want food. The intensity helps convey the level of hunger.
– Startling prey – Some scientists hypothesize the screeches may startle prey animals, causing them to move and revealing their location to the owls.
– Deterring mobbing – Small birds will aggressively mob owls near their nests. The loud screeching may help deter these attacks.
By varying the pitch, intensity, and duration of screeches, Great Horned Owls can relay different types of information to rivals, mates, offspring, and potential predators. The screams carry an urgent, aggressive tone that demands attention.
When Are Great Horned Owls Most Vocal?
The hooting and screeching of Great Horned Owls reaches a peak during the breeding season from late fall through winter:
– Late October – November: Territorial calls increase as breeding season starts. Males hoot to claim territories and attract females.
– December – January: Pair bonding and courtship bring increased vocalizations. Duet calls help the pair strengthen their bond.
– February – March: Nesting and egg-laying lead to a surge in screaming and screeching as the owls fiercely defend their nest site.
– April – May: Hungry owlets hatch and beg for food with loud, raspy screeches, provoking the parents to scream back.
– June – August: Vocalizations die down during summer after nesting season ends. The pairs disperse from the nest site.
So late fall into spring is the peak calling period. The owls call most actively at night when hunting and defending territories. Cooler weather in fall and winter allows the hoots to carry farther than in summer. Calls are most frequent leading up to mating and while guarding nests.
Do Male or Female Great Horned Owls Screech More?
In most cases, the female Great Horned Owl is more vocal and aggressive in defending the nest:
– Females are larger and more aggressive by nature to protect young.
– Females incubate eggs and brood young chicks more than the male. This parental investment increases territoriality.
– Females may scream to communicate with the male bringing food to the nest.
– Females make more begging calls to the male to deliver food for herself and the owlets.
However, males do participate in nest defense as well:
– Males help select and defend the initial nesting territory with calling and clapping displays.
– Males will grunt, bark, and scream if a predator gets close to the nest.
– Male and female may scream duets together when defending the nest.
– Males hiss at the nestlings when they beg too aggressively for food.
So while the female often takes the lead in vocalizing at the nest, the male Great Horned Owl also screeches to protect his mate, eggs, and owlets. Both parents become intensely defensive during breeding season.
What Do Great Horned Owl Screeches Sound Like?
The screeches of agitated Great Horned Owls are piercing, raspy screams:
– Loud volume – Screams can reach 90 decibels, as loud as a lawnmower. The calls carry far to deter threats.
– High pitch – Screeches range from about 500 to 2,000 Hz but most are between 1,000 and 1,500 Hz. These frequencies are piercing to human ears.
– Descending pitch – Many screams go from a high pitch down to a lower tone by the end as the air runs out.
– Harsh timbre – The screeching has an urgent, raspy, aggressive tone meant to intimidate.
– Short duration – Screams are often brief bursts under 3 seconds, but strings of bursts may continue for minutes.
To human ears, the screeches have an eerie, unnerving quality, especially at night. But to other Great Horned Owls, the screams send important messages to stay away from territories or nests and may help the male locate the female. The wide range of vocalizations in the Great Horned Owl’s repertoire allows them to communicate complex information critical for breeding success.
How Loud is a Great Horned Owl Screech?
Great Horned Owls can screech at impressively loud volumes:
– 90 decibels – Peak screeches can reach 90 decibels, about as loud as a lawnmower engine. This allows the territorial calls to transmit over long distances.
– 1-2 mile audible range – The screeches may carry for 1-2 miles on a calm night when noise travels farther. This covers a huge territory.
– 105-110 decibels at close range – Screeches measured from just a few feet away can top 105 to 110 decibels, similar to a chainsaw or rock concert.
– More intense when agitated – Aggressive encounters provoke louder, more frequent screeching than peaceful hooting.
– Hunter screeches less loud – Screeches meant to startle prey may be slightly softer to avoid scaring away the prey.
– Nesting season peaks – Calls get louder in late winter as nesting gets underway and the owls become more territorial.
So Great Horned Owl screeches can be surprisingly loud. This aids communication between rival owls during territory defense and between bonded pairs protecting nests and young. It is one of the adaptations that makes them such effective nest defenders.
What Does it Mean When a Great Horned Owl Screeches?
Some common reasons why a Great Horned Owl would screech:
– WARNING! Stay away from my territory – Owls screech to warn rivals of the same species to keep their distance from territorial boundaries. Long, loud screeches communicate aggression and dominance.
– BACK OFF! Don’t come closer to the nest – Nesting owls become very defensive, screeching at any animal that approaches too closely and seems like a threat. Short, repeated screeches convey urgency.
– Hey honey, where are you? – Mated pairs may screech back and forth to signal their location, especially near the nest. Lower, wavering screeches help the pair stay in contact.
– I’m hungry! Feed me! – Young owlets beg for food with loud, raspy screeches aimed at the parents. The hungerier owlets screech more insistently.
– Yikes! A predator! – Unfamiliar noises like a human intruder can provoke nervous screeching, even if the “threat” poses no real danger to the powerful owl.
In most cases, Great Horned Owl screeches communicate alarm, aggression, defensiveness or urgency, warning potential rivals or predators to back off. The sounds can seem scary to humans, but they help the owls protect territories and families.
Do Great Horned Owls Screech During the Day?
Great Horned Owls are primarily nocturnal, so most of their hooting and screeching happens at night:
– Owls are most active hunting at dawn and dusk, so calling peaks during those times.
– Cooler temperatures at night allow sound to carry farther, amplifying hoots and screeches.
– Lower ambient noise levels at night mean owl calls are not drowned out.
– Darkness provides camouflage from which to hoot and screech safely.
However, Great Horned Owls will still vocalize during daylight hours, especially:
– Females may hiss, clap bills, or scream during the day to protect nests.
– Owlets beg for food with screeches whenever the parents return, day or night.
– Conflicts with intruding owls may provoke territorial screeches, even during daylight.
– Screeching sometimes accompanies mating, which can occur at any hour.
– Calls may serve to startle roosting prey like squirrels.
Though less frequent than at night, screeches still play an important daytime role in nest defense, feeding young, and warning away intruders. The owls will vocalize whenever necessary to communicate threats regardless of light conditions.
Do Great Horned Owls Screech When They Are Dying?
Great Horned Owls do not typically screech when dying. Here is why:
– Injured or dying owls usually go silent as they weaken and lose energy. Making noise would take effort and attract predators.
– Owls try to hide signs of weakness to avoid attracting predators or scavengers. Screeching would reveal vulnerability.
– Sick owls retreat to cover to die quietly. Calling attention would leave them exposed.
– Territorial and defensive screeches require energy that an owl near death likely lacks.
– No studies definitively show Great Horned Owls scream when dying or that such screeches serve any function.
– Screeches more often communicate aggression and dominance, not vulnerability.
So a silent owl far from the nest is more likely to be sick or dying than a screaming owl. However, exceptions are possible if an injured owl becomes agitated by perceived threats. But in general, screeches imply an owl has the strength to defend itself, not one that is mortally wounded.
Do Great Horned Owls Screech When Attacking?
It is uncommon for Great Horned Owls to screech when attacking prey, for a few reasons:
– Screeches could alert prey and cause them to flee or hide before the owl can ambush them. Stealth is key to their hunting strategy.
– Short hunting screeches are likely lower volume to avoid scaring off prey. Only loud territorial screeches are well-documented.
– Owls rely on silent flight to strike prey by surprise. Any mid-attack screeching would defeat this purpose.
– They can strike prey rapidly from short distances. A long scream isn’t necessary before attacking.
– Crepuscular or nocturnal activity means prey often don’t see the silent aerial attack coming anyway.
So while not definitively proven, evidence suggests Great Horned Owls do not screech as they swoop down on prey. This would conflict with their stealth-hunting strategy. However, they may emit short screeches to initially startle prey before the silent ambush.
Prey Animal | Average Weight |
---|---|
Squirrel | 0.5 pounds |
Rat | 1 pound |
Skunk | 6 pounds |
Cat | 8 pounds |
Opossum | 8 pounds |
Raccoon | 12 pounds |
Turkey | 13 pounds |
Pheasant | 2 pounds |
Quail | 0.25 pounds |
Mallard Duck | 2.5 pounds |
Cottontail Rabbit | 2 pounds |
Muskrat | 2 pounds |
Porcupine | 8-40 pounds |
Conclusion
In summary, the loud, eerie screeching sounds of a Great Horned Owl serve important communication purposes related to territorial defense, nest protection, and signaling mates or owlets. The high-pitched, piercing screams convey alarm and aggression, warding off potential threats. Screeching reaches a peak during breeding and nesting season as pairs bond and later guard their nests. While frightening to human ears, these vocalizations help Great Horned Owls survive and reproduce in the wild. The wide range of hoots, screeches, and calls in their repertoire allows Great Horned Owls to successfully declare their territories, find mates, and protect their young hidden in nests.