The Great Horned Owl, Bubo virginianus, is a very large owl and reaches a length of 50-60 cm (1'8"-2'). These birds hunt at night by perching on snags and poles and watching for prey, or by gliding slowly above the ground. From high perches they dive down to the ground with wings folded, before snatching prey. Prey are usually killed instantly when grasped by its large talons. A Great Horned Owl may take prey 2 to 3 times heavier than itself. They mainly eat mammals such as squirrels, rats, mice, rabbits and skunks, as well as small birds, including smaller owls. They have excellent hearing and exceptional vision in low light. Compared to humans, owls have a much sharper depth of perception to their hearing. They have the same number of vertebrae in their necks as most mammals and can move their heads 270 degrees.

NOTE: The above information was taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Horned_Owl and http://www.owlpages.com

The two Great Horned Owls in this gallery were living and hunting in a large grove of Cottonwood trees located between a lake and large open fields. It's a perfect environment for them since they roost in the trees during the daytime and, after the Sun sets, hunt mice or wood rats in the leaf litter under the Cottonwoods, small mammals in the open fields or waterfowl near or on the lake. The owls are a mated pair and will no doubt nest in one of the old cormorant or heron nests in the upper branches of the Cottonwoods in late January or February.