They may look like they’re always scowling and angry at you, but Great horned owls have a reputation for their terrorizing gaze. They have ear-like tufts and emit a deep hooting voice, which makes them seem like a creature from fantasy books.

This great owl is as intimidating as he looks. He chooses mammals and birds as his prey and they’re sometimes even larger than himself. Some of this owl’s awe-inspiring prey include Peregrine Falcons, Ospreys, and Prairie Falcons.

As one of the most common owls in North America, Great horned owls may choose any semi-open area as their habitat. This includes any wetland, grassland, forest, desert, city, and backyard between the tropics and the Arctic. These owls have strong clenching talons that require 28 pounds-force to be open. As their arch enemy, American Crows sometimes corner up a Great horned owl and harass him for hours! So if ever heard a cawing group of American Crows, you may suspect that they’re up to something.

Unlike many animals, the female Great horned owls are larger than their male counterparts. Their size is around 18 to 25 inches and they weigh around 2 to 5.5 pounds.