11. Great Horned Owl

It is very unusual if we go more than a few weeks without having at least one, and more often a pair of Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) calling on or around the property. At this time of year there are duets  between the higher pitched  and  persistent male and the bigger and lower pitched female. This family used the meadow and surrounding woods as their home a couple of years ago.  They were very distracting! The rabbit population takes a hit when there are owls around, a fabulous form of  biocontrol. On one memorable occasion a dinner party was interrupted by bunny screams as a Great Horned Owl took grabbed her dinner and then disemboweled the prey outside the window.  

Owl family