A Great Horned Owl Nest

     Every so often, something special happens in birding that makes your day. The sight of a soaring Bald Eagle, a beautiful flock of Cedar Waxwings or an interesting observation can instantly change your outlook on life. One of those special moments happened to me the other day at a small park in the north end of Hartford. 

     As I was returning to my car from a short stroll, I could hear angry crow cries coming from the top of some white pine trees. I walked slowly toward the pines to see what all the commotion was about. When I finally caught view of the noisy crows, they were circling and diving as if there was a hawk perched nearby. Close scrutiny of the tree top revealed what looked to be a very large nest structure. I got out my spotting scope and pointed it at the nest. To my surprise, there was a Great Horned Owl sitting in the nest, staring right back at me.

     What is a Great Horned Owl doing sitting on a nest in mid-February? Great Horned Owls actually begin nesting very early, in late January and February.

     An opportunist in every sense of the word, Great Horned Owls can be found nesting in many different habitats, including city parks. Since they do not build their own nests, Great Horned Owls rely on abandoned ones of other bird species, mostly Red-tailed Hawks. The nest site in Hartford was nicely sheltered, tucked in among pine boughs. Despite the seemingly perfect location, Great Horned Owls will choose a wide range of places to nest including tree snags, hollows and rotted-out cavities.

     As an interesting side note, Great Horned Owls are known as poor keepers of the nests they use. Their failure to maintain the nest deteriorates it to almost nothing, allowing only one season of use.  

     If you ever come across an occupied nest, please use caution and common sense. Great Horned Owls have extremely powerful talons and a fierce temper, not a good combination if you are trying for a closer look. Worst of all, you may cause the owls to abandon the nest completely.

     The photo that accompanies this post was taken from a great distance, through my spotting scope. It’s of poor quality, but serves its purpose here.