January 2026

This silent-winged raptor begins its mating season in late December and early January, identifying a mate and preparing their nest to lay eggs by early February.

One of Wisconsin’s largest owls, noted for its distinctive ear tufts and yellow eyes, its wingspan can reach 4 ½ feet. The Great Horned Owl’s streamlined feathers make its flight uniquely quiet, creating a stealthy as well as swift flyer. Their talons, which can exert over 25 pounds of pressure, make them a particularly deadly predator.

You can hear the Great Horned Owl’s resonant call starting at dusk during deep winter, surveying the Conservancy grounds from atop the pines and oaks, watching for squirrels venturing from their inner tree hideaways and mice burrowing upward from below the snow.

For more information on the Great Horned and other Wisconsin owls, check out these articles by the by the National Audubon Society and Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance!