Great horned owls

• Great horned owls permanently reside throughout North America, except for the Arctic, and from Mexico to Central America and South America.

• They live in diverse ecological systems, including woodlands, prairies, agricultural lands and towns, and are fairly common in Houston neighborhoods.

• They’re not strictly nocturnal and will, therefore, hunt during the day and often at dusk.

• Diverse food sources include rats, rabbits, skunks, cats, ducks, snakes, frogs and grasshoppers.

• Their scientific name is Bubo virginianus, and the Bubo genus of owls includes the big snowy owl of Alaska and the Arctic and the mighty Eurasian eagle owl of Europe and Asia.