{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "great-horned-owl",
  "name": "Great Horned Owl",
  "scientificName": "Bubo virginianus",
  "category": "Bird",
  "summary": "The great horned owl is a large, powerful owl found throughout the Americas, named for the tufts of feathers on its head that look like horns or ears. A fierce nocturnal predator with crushing talons, it hunts a wide range of prey, even skunks and other raptors. Known for its deep hooting call, it usually lives 10 to 15 years in the wild.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Aves",
    "order": "Strigiformes",
    "family": "Strigidae",
    "genus": "Bubo"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 1.4,
    "lengthM": 0.55,
    "topSpeedKmh": 64,
    "lifespanYears": 13
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Bubo virginianus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore (mammals, birds, reptiles)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Forests, deserts, wetlands, and cities"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "10–15 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Wingspan",
      "value": "1.0–1.5 m (3.3–4.8 ft)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 64 km/h (40 mph)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Almost every habitat throughout the Americas, from subarctic North America to the tip of South America.",
    "continents": [
      "North America",
      "South America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "BirdLife International (2020). Bubo virginianus. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.",
      "url": null
    },
    {
      "citation": "Billerman, S. M. et al. (eds.). Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.",
      "url": null
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Bubo virginianus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Bubo_virginianus/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/great-horned-owl/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/great-horned-owl/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}