Great-horned Owl- Bubo virginianus
Ayoka was transferred to the ONC in November of 2024 by retiring educators who needed to place him in a home where he could still be used for education. He was hatched is 2003 and has been teaching kids about Great-horned Owls for over 20 years. He is very feisty. Many of his caretakers find him much to intimidating and are wary of entering his mew Great-horned Owls are very good at scaring predators away with those big yellow eyes. They also puff up their feathers, spread their wings, and rock back and forth giving you the stare down which can be quite frightening.
- Average Weight: 2-5 pounds
- Wingspan: 40-57 inches
- Lifespan in the Wild: 15 years
- Lifespan in Captivity: 20-25 year
Fascinating Facts:
Great-horned Owls have been given the nickname Tiger of the Sky by scientists. Tigers are apex meat-eating predators who are very mean and terrify all other animals in their normal habitat. The same can be said of the Great-horned Owl. By body size they have the most powerful feet of all Raptors. They kill their food with their feet. Imagine holding a Jackrabbit with your foot until it dies while it is struggling, biting, and kicking. Humans would never get a meal if that was our option. Nature gave these wonderful birds very specialized feet that are a force of nature.
