Bird Sounds: Great Horned Owl

We have a pair in Sebring Florida. They are in the huge pines at the edge of an abandoned golf course. We often have a clear view of them. The female is much larger. They constantly call to each other at dusk and are still doing so when I retire about 9:30-10 pm. I absolutely love listening to them!!

I live in Northampton County, Penna. Usually start to hear them early in January. Try to get them to get closer with calls but it hasn't worked yet. Will keep trying though. Such an awesome sound.

I hear this beautiful call at night when I take the dog out. I live in Massachusetts with a pond in the back yard. There are many tall pines, oaks and other old trees. I saw an owl once and it was a very quick visit. I'd love to have my camera on me and get a picture of one, but the call of the owl is wonderful to hear. I find it soothing.

I live on a cattle farm in west/central MO, and I hear these Great Horned Owls, often a veritable symphony because there are so many calling at the same time. They begin around dusk at certain times of the year and will continue for an hour or so, then there's silence for a few hours and they begin again. I can discern at least 4, sometimes 6, different ones calling to each other. It is absolutely mesmerizing to listen to them, but I rarely get to see any of them. I've had a few perch in one of the huge 100+ year-old oak trees in my yard, very close to my bedroom window, but have never been able to see them because of the trees being leafed out. It's okay. I'll settle for listening.

I live in Overland Park, Kansas. Our house is surrounded by age old Oak trees. It was in April that I noticed 2 little owls perched in one of the branches of my oak tree. The scenario seems like deja vu because, I believe, we have a "resident owl" in that tree and I've seen owlets there before. That was in early April. Their nest is probably in a cusp of branches. I have not seen a nest per se. So the babies stay on the tree branch in the early morning, maybe they go in their nest too when it gets too bright, but I see the mother owl comes to feed them at twilight. They were there for 2-3 weeks (?) getting bigger and flapping their wings, and then they were gone. Maybe just the babies left because I hear the hoot hoot at night. There's a duet of sounds, so there must be a pair of them, and they might be our "resident owls" staying home like Empty Nesters!

Hello, I live in Gregory, MI. I hear these owls outside my bedroom window. They perch on a big maple tree right next to my house. They are so close to my window they wake me up. I love hearing them and wish I could see them!

Every year for the past 3 years I have seen and heard very large pair of great horned owls. One night I had the pleasure of a baby resting on a juvenile plant and it just sat and gazed at me. I'm not sure if ut was a barred owl or great horn as we have a pair of barred owls that are very vocal as well. Surprisingly, we also hear the horses weighs of a screech owl. When I'd hear there calls, I'd call back.. we'd communicate at times for half an hour. I just recently read up and realized I could cause them to leave their territory and they could leave their young behind when doing so. So I will no longer communicate with them. I honestly believe the male great horned stands very close to the 3 foot mark. The wing span seems to be around 4 feet. They're so majestic and I'm always thrilled when they visit. They show up a couple times a yr and leave about a week later. Perhaps and I pray I'm wrong, but perhaps they fled their territory because I communucated with them. I hope by my writing this, others will learn.. .. please just listen and enjoy their hoots. Anyways I'm located at SE Palm Bay, Florida, Waco/San Fillipo area.

Listening to a great horned owl outside my bedroom window at 12:30 a.m. I live in Trenton, NJ. What an awesome sound. I hear him at this time of year every year. Hope he finds his mate soon!!

Two owls hooting talking to each other at Szot Park in Chicopee, MA. I have heard one outside my widow there for many years- glad he finally found a friend!

I woke up at about 3 a.m. one night and went directly to my front door! Stooping down to the lowest window and looked out at a beautiful snowy scene and a FACE staring back at me. It was a Great Horned Owl and he had just made a kill. It was a large animal - maybe a cat or raccoon - and when he saw me, he tried to fly with his meal but it was too heavy and he could not get any lift. He then decided to move his meal away from my vantage point. He dragged the kill - inches at a time - over my front yard and into my neighbor's front yard. Then and there he enjoyed his meal. The next day, there was a very bloody patch in the snow and a trail of blood leading to my neighbor's yard. Not a trace of the dead animal was there. It was a very impressive and magical moment in Cherry Hill, N.J.