Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) is in the Typical Owls family (Strigidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 71,449 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Great Horned Owl: observations by month (U.S.)
About Great Horned Owl
The great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), also known as the tiger owl (originally derived from early naturalists' description as the "winged tiger" or "tiger of the air") or the hoot owl, is a large owl native to the Americas. It is an extremely adaptable bird with a vast range and is the most widely distributed true owl in the Americas. Its primary diet is rabbits and hares, rats and mice and voles, although it freely hunts...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Great Horned Owl by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 26,967 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Texas | 6,506 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Colorado | 3,680 | May | Mar–Jan |
| Arizona | 3,485 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Florida | 2,724 | February | Jan–Dec |
| Oregon | 2,148 | May | Mar–Oct |
| Washington | 1,949 | May | Jan–Oct |
| Illinois | 1,667 | April | Mar–Oct |
| Utah | 1,414 | May | Jan–Oct |
| New York | 1,409 | April | Nov–May |
| Idaho | 1,345 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Pennsylvania | 1,253 | April | Dec–Oct |
| Massachusetts | 1,223 | April | Mar–Oct |
| New Mexico | 1,162 | April | Jan–Oct |
| Ohio | 1,083 | April | Mar–May |
| Wisconsin | 1,046 | April | Mar–Oct |
| Minnesota | 1,036 | April | Mar–May |
| Nevada | 861 | May | Mar–Oct |
| Virginia | 774 | April | Feb–Jun |
| North Carolina | 721 | April | Mar–Oct |
| Montana | 698 | May | Mar–Oct |
| New Jersey | 675 | April | Mar–Oct |
| Maryland | 581 | March | Feb–May |
| Michigan | 561 | April | Jan–Oct |
| Wyoming | 544 | May | May–Sep |
| Missouri | 535 | April | Mar–May |
| Oklahoma | 455 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Louisiana | 403 | March | Feb–Jan |
| Tennessee | 392 | March | Feb–Jan |
| Georgia | 387 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Alabama | 378 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Indiana | 365 | April | Mar–Oct |
| South Carolina | 308 | June | Jan–Oct |
| Kentucky | 305 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Kansas | 283 | September | Mar–Jan |
| Nebraska | 281 | May | Mar–Jan |
| Alaska | 212 | July | May–Sep |
| Iowa | 194 | July | Jun–May |
| South Dakota | 193 | May | Mar–Sep |
| Mississippi | 191 | April | Mar–Feb |
| Connecticut | 172 | April | Mar–Sep |
| Vermont | 160 | April | Mar–Jun |
| Delaware | 151 | April | Mar–Aug |
| North Dakota | 145 | May | Mar–Aug |
| Arkansas | 141 | June | Feb–Nov |
| Rhode Island | 95 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Maine | 64 | May | Mar–Nov |
| West Virginia | 63 | April | Feb–Apr |
| New Hampshire | 55 | June | Apr–Oct |
| District of Columbia | 9 | March | Mar–Mar |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Typical Owls)
Barred Owl
Eastern Screech-Owl
Burrowing Owl
Western Screech-Owl
Short-eared Owl
Snowy Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Long-eared Owl
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Great Horned Owl?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from March to February.
Where is Great Horned Owl most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Texas, Colorado.