Eurasian Wren vs Great Horned Owl
Troglodytes troglodytes compared with Bubo virginianus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Eurasian Wren | Great Horned Owl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Troglodytes troglodytes | Bubo virginianus |
| Order | Passeriformes | Strigiformes |
| Family | Troglodytidae | Strigidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 9.5 cm (3.7 in) | 55.0 cm (21.7 in) |
| Wingspan | 15.0 cm (5.9 in) | 127.0 cm (50.0 in) |
| Weight | 9.0 g (0.32 oz) | 1400.0 g (49.38 oz) |
| Diet | Insects and spiders, gleaned from dense vegetation, rock crevices, and bark. Active and restless forager. | Extremely diverse — mammals (rabbits, skunks, rodents), birds (including other raptors), reptiles, amphibians, and fish. … |
| Clutch Size | 3-9 | 1-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Eurasian Wren only
None
Great Horned Owl only
Eurasian Wren
Dense undergrowth in woodlands, gardens, hedgerows, and rocky areas. Prefers tangled vegetation close to the ground.
Great Horned Owl
Diverse habitats including forests, deserts, swamps, urban parks, and suburban areas. Nests in tree hollows, cliff ledges, and abandoned nests of other large birds.
Song & Call Comparison
Eurasian Wren
Extraordinarily loud for its tiny size: a rapid, powerful stream of trills, buzzes, and churring phrases. One of Europe's loudest songs by volume relative to body weight.
Great Horned Owl
Deep, resonant 'who-who-who-who-ooo': the classic 'hoo-h'HOO-hoo-hoo' territorial duet of a mated pair. Booms at dusk. Female pitch slightly higher than male.
Geographic Range & Migration
Eurasian Wren
Eurasia from Iceland and western Europe to Japan. The only wren species found outside the Americas.
Great Horned Owl
North and South America from subarctic Canada to Tierra del Fuego. One of the most widespread owls in the Americas.
Conservation Status
Eurasian Wren
Great Horned Owl
How to Tell Them Apart
Eurasian Wren
Warm rufous-brown upperparts with fine dark barring. Pale buffy underparts with barred flanks. Short, often cocked tail.
Thin, slightly curved, dark brown bill
Great Horned Owl
Mottled grey-brown plumage with heavy dark barring. Prominent ear tufts, yellow eyes, and a white throat patch give a fierce expression.
Dark grey-black hooked bill almost hidden by facial disc feathers
About These Birds
Eurasian Wren
The Eurasian wren is one of the smallest birds in Europe but possesses an astonishingly loud song for its size. Males build multiple dome-shaped nests, from which the female selects one to line and use. In British folklore, the wren is known as the king of birds for outwitting the eagle in a flying contest.
Great Horned Owl
The great horned owl is the most powerful and widespread owl in the Americas, earning the nickname tiger of the sky. It is one of the earliest nesting birds, often laying eggs in January when snow still covers the ground. Great horned owls are fierce predators, regularly taking prey up to three times their own weight.