{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribut	Lesser Horned Owl	Great Horned Owl
Nom scientifique	Bubo magellanicus	Bubo virginianus
Ordre	Strigiformes	Strigiformes
Famille	Strigidae	Strigidae
Statut de conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern
Longueur	—	55,0 cm (21.7 in)
Envergure	67,2 cm (26.5 in)	127,0 cm (50.0 in)
Poids	1073,2 g (37.86 oz)	1400,0 g (49.38 oz)
Régime alimentaire	--	Extremely diverse — mammals (rabbits, skunks, rodents), birds (including other raptors), reptiles, amphibians, and fish. …
Taille de la couvée	2-3	1-4
Population Trend	—	—

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Size Comparison

Body Length

Lesser Horned Owl —

Great Horned Owl 55,0 cm

Envergure

Lesser Horned Owl 67,2 cm

Great Horned Owl 127,0 cm

Poids

Lesser Horned Owl 1073,2 g

Great Horned Owl 1400,0 g

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Habitats partagés

🌲 Forest 🏜️ Desert

Lesser Horned Owl only

Aucun(e)

Great Horned Owl only

🌿 Wetland 🏖️ Coastal

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 ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

Lesser Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl

Chant

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 ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

Lesser Horned Owl

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 Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Statut de conservation

Least Concern

Lesser Horned Owl

Least Concern

Great Horned Owl

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

Lesser Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl

Plumage

Mottled grey-brown plumage with heavy dark barring. Prominent ear tufts, yellow eyes, and a white throat patch give a fierce expression.

Bec

Dark grey-black hooked bill almost hidden by facial disc feathers

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

Lesser Horned Owl

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.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Related Comparisons

Common Raven vs Great Horned Owl

look-alike

Great Horned Owl vs Eurasian Eagle-Owl

same-family

Great Horned Owl vs Snowy Owl

same-family

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

More from Strigidae

Sangihe Scops-owl Otus collari Ochre-bellied Boobook Ninox ochracea Hume's Boobook Ninox obscura Romblon Boobook Ninox spilonotus All Strigidae birds →

Explore the Nature FYI Family

🧬 SpeciesFYI

Species & Taxonomy

🦕 DinoFYI

6,000+ Dinosaurs

🐟 FishFYI

Fish & Marine Life

🌿 PlantFYI

379,000+ Plants