Great horned owls are one of the most widespread owl species in North America. They can be found across a variety of habitats from coast to coast and from Mexico to the Arctic. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at exactly where great horned owls live and what types of habitats they prefer.
Great Horned Owl Habitat
Great horned owls are highly adaptable birds that can thrive in many different environments. Here are some of the key habitats used by great horned owls:
- Forests – Great horned owls live in both deciduous and coniferous forests. They prefer forests with a mix of open and dense areas for roosting, nesting, and hunting.
- Woodlots – Small stands of trees surrounded by open land also provide good habitat. The trees offer roosting and nest sites while the open areas provide hunting grounds.
- Swamps – Swampy wetland areas with trees scattered throughout provide ideal great horned owl habitat.
- River Bottoms – Wooded areas along rivers offer plentiful prey and nesting cavities.
- Deserts – Great horned owls can even live in desert environments where they nest in canyons, rock outcrops, or saguaros.
- Parks and Suburbs – Mature trees in city parks, golf courses, cemeteries, and suburban neighborhoods are also used by great horned owls.
- Agricultural Areas – Great horned owls often hunt over open croplands and nest in groves of trees or abandoned buildings.
As long as there are appropriate nesting sites, sufficient prey, and some degree of cover, great horned owls are able to live in a wide variety of habitats.
Great Horned Owl Range and Distribution
The great horned owl has an extremely large range across North America, Central America, and even down into parts of South America. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, their breeding range covers nearly all of North America, from northern Alaska and Canada through all of the continental United States and Mexico. Here is a closer look at where they can be found:
- Alaska – Found across mainland Alaska as well as the Aleutian Islands.
- Canada – Their range covers all of Canada from the Yukon to central Labrador.
- United States – Great horned owls live in suitable habitat in every state in the continental US.
- Mexico – Ranges down throughout Mexico including the Baja California peninsula.
- Central America – Found in patchy distributions through Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.
- Caribbean – Sparse, localized populations in the Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- South America – Reaches into northern Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, northern Brazil, and the Andes mountains.
Within their widespread range across the Americas, great horned owls are absent from only a few isolated areas due to unsuitable habitat like the hot and humid Amazon rainforest interior. But from the frigid Arctic to the tropical rainforests of Central America, great horned owls can be found almost anywhere there are appropriate tree cavities for nesting.
Maps of the Great Horned Owl Range
Here are some maps illustrating the widespread range and distribution of the great horned owl across North, Central, and South America:
Great Horned Owl Range Map – North America
This map shows how great horned owls can be found across almost the entirety of the North American continent. Their range extends over the continental United States, Canada, Alaska, and down through Mexico into Central America.
Great Horned Owl Range Map – Americas
This broader map depicts the great horned owl’s range extending down through Central America and into South America. There are only a few gaps in their range, mainly concentrated in the Amazon basin and parts of the Andes mountains.
States and Provinces
Within their expansive North American range, great horned owls can be found in every U.S. state and Canadian province. Here’s an overview:
United States
Great horned owls reside in appropriate habitat in every continental state as well as Alaska and Hawaii. The only area they are not found is the extreme southeast of Florida where there is insufficient habitat.
Canada
The great horned owl range includes every Canadian province and territory from coast to coast. They are found across Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
Mexico
In Mexico, great horned owls are widespread in suitable habitat throughout the country including the Baja California peninsula and surrounding islands. Their range overlaps with at least 15 different states in Mexico.
Year-Round Range vs. Winter Range
For most great horned owls, the range described above represents their year-round, breeding range. However, some northern great horned owls will migrate south for the winter while others from farther north migrate into their typical range to spend the winter.
In the northernmost areas of Canada and Alaska, great horned owls may head south in the winter months when prey becomes scarce. However, the majority of great horned owls across North America are year-round residents within their territories.
Year-Round Range
Most great horned owls defend breeding territories year-round throughout their range. These owls typically only disperse when young owls leave their parents’ territory to establish a territory of their own once mature.
Winter Range
In the far northern parts of their range, great horned owls may migrate south in winter. Some owls that breed in northern Canada and Alaska migrate south into the northern and central United States and southern Canada during winter months.
Habitat and Home Range
Now that we’ve covered the overall range of great horned owls across North, Central, and South America, let’s take a closer look at their habitat needs and typical home range size:
Habitat
As mentioned earlier, great horned owls use a very diverse array of habitats. They are able to thrive across vastly different environments. The keys for great horned owl habitat suitability are:
- Nesting sites – Most importantly, great horned owls require appropriate nesting sites, typically in large tree cavities or on rocky outcroppings they cannot excavate themselves.
- Roosting perches – Scattered trees and snags are needed within their territory for daytime roosting.
- Prey availability – Abundant populations of small and medium-sized mammals and birds.
- Cover – Variable amounts of wooded or shrubby cover for concealment when nesting and hunting.
Given the presence of these features, great horned owls can make a home in habitats including forests, deserts, wetlands, farmland, suburbs, parks, and more.
Home Range
A great horned owl pair’s home range or territory size can vary from less than 1 square mile to over 6 square miles. The availability of prey is a key factor influencing territory size. Great horned owls in areas with plentiful rodents and other prey will defend smaller territories. Range size also depends on habitat type and population density.
Urban and suburban great horned owls may only need a territory of 1/2 square mile or less. Rural owls with more limited food resources typically require larger territories of 1-2 square miles on average. But in areas of low-density owl populations and scarce prey, territories may reach 6 square miles or more.
Altitude Range
From sea level to high altitude mountain forests, great horned owls can be found across a huge altitudinal range:
- Sea level to 2,500 ft – Most common in coastal areas and lowlands across their range.
- 2,500 to 5,500 ft – Found in foothills and lower mountain elevations.
- 5,500 to 11,500 ft – Occurs in high mountain forests, but less common at highest elevations.
Their altitudinal limits are mainly influenced by available habitat and prey base. The highest elevations great horned owls have been found are around 12,000 feet in the Rocky Mountains.
Population Density
Given the great horned owl’s enormous range across North, Central, and South America, estimating total population size is challenging. Their densities vary greatly across different regions.
Some general estimates of great horned owl densities include:
- Alaska – 1-2 owls per 100 square km
- Canada – 1-2 owls per 100 square km
- Contiguous US – 5-20 owls per 100 square km
- Northeast US – 20-60 owls per 100 square km
- Southeast US – 10-30 owls per 100 square km
- Midwest US – 10-30 owls per 100 square km
- Western US – 1-10 owls per 100 square km
- Mexico – 2-50 owls per 100 square km
Population densities tend to be lower near the northern limits of great horned owl range and higher farther south. The highest owl concentrations occur in the southern Canada and northern Midwest and Northeast United States.
Key Areas
While great horned owls occupy a wide range, there are certain core areas and habitats where they are found in especially high densities and thrive particularly well:
- Eastern Deciduous Forests – From southeast Canada through the eastern US, moist old-growth forests with abundant prey support dense great horned owl populations.
- Northern Boreal Forests – The mix of conifers and wetlands in Canada’s boreal forest region provides ideal habitat for great horned owls.
- Pacific Northwest – The combination of coniferous forests, rugged mountains, and mild climate make the Pacific Northwest a great horned owl stronghold.
- Midwest Farmlands – Abundant small mammals in the agricultural areas and woodlot habitats of the Midwest allow high densities of great horned owls.
- River Bottom Forests – Major river systems like the Mississippi provide corridors of prime great horned owl habitat.
- Swamps and Marshlands – Expansive wetlands across the eastern US and Canada support significant great horned owl populations.
Focusing conservation efforts on protecting key habitats like these will benefit great horned owls across their range.
Urban vs. Rural Range
While great horned owls favor natural habitats, they have also adapted to live in close proximity to humans in urban and suburban areas:
- Urban – Owls nest in city parks and live amongst high-density housing if sufficient prey is available.
- Suburban – Wooded suburban neighborhoods provide good habitat as long as open hunting areas are nearby.
- Rural – More remote forests, farms, and natural areas offer the traditional great horned owl habitat.
Great horned owls are found in both urban and rural settings, but rural areas likely support higher density populations overall.
Urban Populations
Surprisingly, great horned owls have adapted remarkably well to densely populated cities. Urban parks, golf courses, cemeteries, and landscaped industrial areas provide nesting and roosting habitat. Backyard bird feeders also concentrate potential prey.
Some of the major North American cities with resident great horned owl populations include Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle, Chicago, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Miami, Mexico City, and many more.
Rural Populations
In more natural, less disturbed habitats away from major cities, great horned owl densities are often higher. Rural populations tend to be centered around forested areas, wetlands, river bottoms, canyon country, and agricultural areas with adequate nest sites.
Protection Status
Due to its extremely large range and stable populations, the great horned owl is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. Here is its conservation status in countries across its range:
Country | Protection Status |
---|---|
United States | Protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act |
Canada | Listed as Least Concern nationally |
Mexico | Not listed/no special status |
Central America | Not listed/no special status |
South America | Not listed/no special status |
While great horned owls are not considered threatened or endangered overall, habitat loss in certain regions could put pressure on local populations. Continued protection of key nesting habitats will help ensure thriving great horned owl numbers.
Conclusion
In summary, great horned owls occupy an enormous range extending from the Arctic down through most of North and South America. They live in a diverse array of habitats from coast to coast wherever appropriate nesting sites, sufficient prey, and cover are present. Across their vast range, great horned owl densities vary based on habitat quality and prey availability. They thrive in forested regions, wetlands, agricultural areas, river bottoms, and even urban parks and neighborhoods. With ample habitat and prey, the adaptable great horned owl is expected to maintain healthy populations across the majority of its extensive range.