Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus (J. F. Gmelin, 1788)
Great Horned Owl in all of Ohio
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Strigidae
- Genus
- Bubo

Range
Where it is recorded
Season shown in 0 of Ohio's 88 counties. Its mapped range covers 88. Explore Ohio
- No result yet (0)
- Within its mapped range (37)
- Recorded, too few records for a result (44)
- Recorded, season not shown (7)
- Season shown (0)
Counties as a table
| County | Records | In mapped range |
|---|---|---|
| Adams County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Allen County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Ashland County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Ashtabula County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Athens County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Auglaize County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Belmont County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Brown County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Butler County | 28 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: year-round |
| Carroll County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Champaign County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Clark County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Clermont County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Clinton County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Columbiana County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Coshocton County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Crawford County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Cuyahoga County | 51 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: year-round |
| Darke County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Defiance County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Delaware County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Erie County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Fairfield County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Fayette County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Franklin County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Fulton County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Gallia County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Geauga County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Greene County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Guernsey County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Hamilton County | 42 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: year-round |
| Hancock County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Hardin County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Harrison County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Henry County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Highland County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Hocking County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Holmes County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Huron County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Jackson County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Jefferson County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Knox County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Lake County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Lawrence County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Licking County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Logan County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Lorain County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Lucas County | 36 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: year-round |
| Madison County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Mahoning County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Marion County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Medina County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Meigs County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Mercer County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Miami County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Monroe County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Montgomery County | 22 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: year-round |
| Morgan County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Morrow County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Muskingum County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Noble County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Ottawa County | 29 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: year-round |
| Paulding County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Perry County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Pickaway County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Pike County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Portage County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Preble County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Putnam County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Richland County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Ross County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Sandusky County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Scioto County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Seneca County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Shelby County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Stark County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Summit County | 40 · Recorded, season not shown | Yes: year-round |
| Trumbull County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Tuscarawas County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Union County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Van Wert County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Vinton County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Warren County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Washington County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
| Wayne County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Williams County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Wood County | Recorded, too few records for a result | Yes: year-round |
| Wyandot County | No qualifying records yet | Yes: year-round |
Season
When it is recorded
In Butler County
Not enough evidence
Records per week from 28 records in 7 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not a season or how common it is.
Show as a table
| Week | Records of Great Horned Owl | Years recorded | Records of all species |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 4–10 | 1 | 1 | 59 |
| Jan 11–17 | 0 | 0 | 104 |
| Jan 18–24 | 0 | 0 | 111 |
| Jan 25–31 | 0 | 0 | 54 |
| Feb 1–7 | 0 | 0 | 62 |
| Feb 8–14 | 0 | 0 | 59 |
| Feb 15–21 | 0 | 0 | 70 |
| Feb 22–28 | 2 | 1 | 117 |
| Mar 1–7 | 0 | 0 | 221 |
| Mar 8–14 | 0 | 0 | 224 |
| Mar 15–21 | 1 | 1 | 250 |
| Mar 22–28 | 0 | 0 | 250 |
| Mar 29 – Apr 4 | 0 | 0 | 464 |
| Apr 5–11 | 1 | 1 | 681 |
| Apr 12–18 | 1 | 1 | 911 |
| Apr 19–25 | 1 | 1 | 1,134 |
| Apr 26 – May 2 | 1 | 1 | 1,163 |
| May 3–9 | 0 | 0 | 1,117 |
| May 10–16 | 2 | 2 | 724 |
| May 17–23 | 0 | 0 | 681 |
| May 24–30 | 0 | 0 | 518 |
| May 31 – Jun 6 | 0 | 0 | 531 |
| Jun 7–13 | 0 | 0 | 605 |
| Jun 14–20 | 1 | 1 | 566 |
| Jun 21–27 | 0 | 0 | 545 |
| Jun 28 – Jul 4 | 2 | 2 | 622 |
| Jul 5–11 | 0 | 0 | 580 |
| Jul 12–18 | 1 | 1 | 658 |
| Jul 19–25 | 0 | 0 | 618 |
| Jul 26 – Aug 1 | 2 | 1 | 664 |
| Aug 2–8 | 2 | 2 | 710 |
| Aug 9–15 | 1 | 1 | 555 |
| Aug 16–22 | 0 | 0 | 856 |
| Aug 23–29 | 0 | 0 | 1,185 |
| Aug 30 – Sep 5 | 0 | 0 | 2,105 |
| Sep 6–12 | 2 | 2 | 2,341 |
| Sep 13–19 | 1 | 1 | 1,284 |
| Sep 20–26 | 2 | 2 | 1,693 |
| Sep 27 – Oct 3 | 0 | 0 | 1,744 |
| Oct 4–10 | 0 | 0 | 1,330 |
| Oct 11–17 | 3 | 3 | 1,154 |
| Oct 18–24 | 0 | 0 | 745 |
| Oct 25–31 | 0 | 0 | 955 |
| Nov 1–7 | 0 | 0 | 261 |
| Nov 8–14 | 0 | 0 | 265 |
| Nov 15–21 | 0 | 0 | 197 |
| Nov 22–28 | 0 | 0 | 187 |
| Nov 29 – Dec 5 | 0 | 0 | 103 |
| Dec 6–12 | 0 | 0 | 173 |
| Dec 13–19 | 0 | 0 | 84 |
| Dec 20–26 | 0 | 0 | 89 |
| Dec 27 – Jan 2 | 1 | 1 | 106 |
In Ohio
Recorded all year
Records per week from 615 records in 10 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not a season or how common it is.
Show as a table
| Week | Records of Great Horned Owl | Years recorded | Records of all species |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 4–10 | 16 | 5 | 6,211 |
| Jan 11–17 | 4 | 2 | 5,146 |
| Jan 18–24 | 2 | 2 | 4,645 |
| Jan 25–31 | 6 | 5 | 4,698 |
| Feb 1–7 | 10 | 8 | 6,023 |
| Feb 8–14 | 13 | 6 | 5,888 |
| Feb 15–21 | 6 | 4 | 5,436 |
| Feb 22–28 | 12 | 6 | 6,846 |
| Mar 1–7 | 13 | 7 | 8,321 |
| Mar 8–14 | 13 | 6 | 10,384 |
| Mar 15–21 | 12 | 6 | 12,620 |
| Mar 22–28 | 13 | 6 | 13,949 |
| Mar 29 – Apr 4 | 15 | 8 | 19,661 |
| Apr 5–11 | 37 | 10 | 26,860 |
| Apr 12–18 | 39 | 9 | 39,925 |
| Apr 19–25 | 39 | 9 | 41,623 |
| Apr 26 – May 2 | 51 | 8 | 56,391 |
| May 3–9 | 32 | 9 | 52,952 |
| May 10–16 | 35 | 10 | 53,785 |
| May 17–23 | 19 | 5 | 57,698 |
| May 24–30 | 10 | 6 | 54,651 |
| May 31 – Jun 6 | 7 | 5 | 53,099 |
| Jun 7–13 | 7 | 4 | 53,700 |
| Jun 14–20 | 7 | 5 | 56,625 |
| Jun 21–27 | 6 | 4 | 55,361 |
| Jun 28 – Jul 4 | 6 | 4 | 58,477 |
| Jul 5–11 | 6 | 4 | 61,336 |
| Jul 12–18 | 4 | 4 | 64,722 |
| Jul 19–25 | 5 | 4 | 69,753 |
| Jul 26 – Aug 1 | 10 | 3 | 59,416 |
| Aug 2–8 | 9 | 4 | 59,712 |
| Aug 9–15 | 11 | 6 | 55,994 |
| Aug 16–22 | 7 | 6 | 54,328 |
| Aug 23–29 | 11 | 6 | 51,772 |
| Aug 30 – Sep 5 | 8 | 4 | 57,167 |
| Sep 6–12 | 13 | 5 | 59,075 |
| Sep 13–19 | 9 | 6 | 54,543 |
| Sep 20–26 | 7 | 4 | 45,860 |
| Sep 27 – Oct 3 | 8 | 5 | 43,180 |
| Oct 4–10 | 7 | 5 | 37,841 |
| Oct 11–17 | 9 | 6 | 30,824 |
| Oct 18–24 | 3 | 2 | 21,156 |
| Oct 25–31 | 5 | 3 | 19,021 |
| Nov 1–7 | 6 | 5 | 14,172 |
| Nov 8–14 | 4 | 2 | 12,621 |
| Nov 15–21 | 5 | 3 | 7,965 |
| Nov 22–28 | 6 | 4 | 8,136 |
| Nov 29 – Dec 5 | 5 | 5 | 6,083 |
| Dec 6–12 | 6 | 4 | 6,004 |
| Dec 13–19 | 6 | 5 | 5,423 |
| Dec 20–26 | 8 | 6 | 5,661 |
| Dec 27 – Jan 2 | 7 | 5 | 8,459 |
What these results show
These results show when people recorded a species, not when or where it occurs. Missing weeks and low counts do not mean absence or scarcity, and counts are not abundance. Contributed records reflect where, when and what people chose to observe.
Identification
How to identify it
Often confused with
- Barred Owl Strix variaOften confused in Ohio: 10 identifications in Ohio named one where the other was meant
- Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis256 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
- Long-eared Owl Asio otus171 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
- American Barn Owl Tyto furcata158 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
- Eastern Screech-Owl Megascops asio102 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
From iNaturalist’s similar-species counts, refreshed monthly: confusions in Ohio first, then worldwide. Only species with an Ohio result are listed.
Land cover where it is recorded
| Land cover | Its recordsAll Ohio records |
|---|---|
| Developed | 53%49% |
| Forest | 28%31% |
| Wetland | 12%5% |
| Farmland | 6%11% |
| Grassland and shrub | 0.4%0.9% |
| Open water | 0.4%3% |
From 238 records placed within 100 m, beside all Ohio records placed the same way. People record where they go, so this shows where records come from, not where the species lives. Land cover: USGS Annual NLCD, 2025 (opens in a new tab)
Sources
Where these results come from
- Records from iNaturalist research-grade observations and expert-identified GBIF datasets, CC0, CC BY and CC BY-NC. Sources
- Seasons use the published method and its evidence thresholds. Methods
- See it on iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)OpenPhenology is independent and not affiliated with iNaturalist.
Records behind the Ohio result
615 records from 2 datasets.
- iNaturalist Research-grade Observations (opens in a new tab) · iNaturalist.org · 610 recordsiNaturalist contributors, iNaturalist (2026). iNaturalist Research-grade Observations. iNaturalist.org. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/ab3s5x accessed via GBIF.org on 2026-11-13.
- iNaturalist observations (opens in a new tab) · iNaturalist.org · 5 recordsiNaturalist. Available from https://www.inaturalist.org. Accessed 2026-11-13
To cite: the GBIF download doi:10.15468/dl.y2jkt8 (opens in a new tab).
A spreadsheet (CSV) with a link to each record, on iNaturalist or GBIF. Records whose location was hidden by the observer or the source are counted but not linked.