Great Horned Owl

The Great Horned Owl is the most widespread
owl in North America. Nonetheless, it is rarely
seen, except possibly in a fleeting glimpse as it
flies across a highway at night. It is an effective
hunter that preys on a variety of birds and small
mammals. It swallows all but its larger prey items
whole—the bones, fur and feathers are then
regurgitated in the form of pellets.
Look for Great Horned Owls
in woodlands or isolated
clumps of coniferous or
deciduous trees. The
best places to find them
are the Pacific Spirit
Regional Park, the North
Shore mountains, Burnaby
Lake and pockets of mixed
woodlands in the Fraser River
delta. They nest in abandoned
hawk, crow, heron or eagle nests and
lay two eggs in late February. Pellets on
the ground may be a sign of a nest tree
or roost site.

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