Are There Great Horned Owls in Vermont?

Yes, great horned owls are resident year-round throughout Vermont's forests and woodlands. These powerful nocturnal hunters are found from the Green Mountains to the shores of Lake Champlain and across the state's mixed deciduous and conifer forests, making them one of Vermont's most formidable birds of prey.

By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself. Updated July 20, 2026.

Great Horned Owl photographed in Vermont — Photos by iNaturalist observers, reused under the licence each observer chose.

Found in Vermont

1
species recorded: 4,216
GBIF records: 6
birding hotspots: April, March, May
peak months

Yes, great horned owls are in Vermont. Next you'll want:

Real sighting data, source iNaturalist

167 verified observations on iNaturalist of great horned owl have been recorded in Vermont, most often in April, March, May.

When great horned owl are recorded in Vermont

Where Great Horned Owls Live in Vermont

Great horned owls inhabit all regions of Vermont, adapting to the state's varied forest types and landscapes. In the higher elevations of the Green Mountains, particularly around Mount Mansfield and Camels Hump, they nest in tall sugar maples, red spruces, and hemlocks that provide secure platforms and hunting vantage points. The northern forests near the Vermont-Canadian border support healthy populations in stands of spruce and fir mixed with deciduous trees. The Champlain Valley, Vermont's western lowlands, provides excellent habitat in river corridors and wetland margins where cottonwoods and willows tower above smaller trees. Lake Champlain itself attracts hunting owls to the riparian woodlands along its shores, from the Missisquoi River mouth in the north to Otter Creek in the south. Central Vermont's mixed hardwood forests around areas like the Quechee Gorge and the White River valley harbor breeding and wintering populations. The eastern sections near the Connecticut River offer similar forest mosaics that support great horned owls throughout the year. Remote swamps and wetlands, including areas like the Great Swamp and various state wildlife areas, provide roosting and hunting habitat. Suburban areas of Burlington, Montpelier, and Rutland regularly host these powerful predators, particularly around parks and neighborhoods with large trees. Their ability to thrive in both pristine wilderness and developed areas reflects their success as Vermont's most reliable large owl species. Learn more about wildlife acrossVermont's diverse regions. Seethe Great Horned Owl guide for Vermontfor more.

Seasons and Activity Patterns in Vermont

Great horned owls are permanent residents of Vermont, present every month of the year without migration. They are among Vermont's earliest nesting birds, with courtship behavior and pair bonding intensifying in November and December as the days shorten and temperatures drop. Nest selection occurs in December, with the same pair often returning to previously used nests in large trees or appropriating nests built by other species. Egg laying begins in January, with clutches of two to three eggs incubated primarily by the female while the male brings her food. Eggs hatch in late February and early March, producing blind, downy chicks utterly dependent on parental care. The owlets grow rapidly through spring and early summer, reaching fledging size by late April and May. Young birds leave the nest in late May through June but remain dependent on parents for several additional weeks while developing hunting skills. By late summer, juvenile great horned owls begin dispersing to find their own territories, sometimes traveling surprising distances from their birthplace. Fall and winter are excellent seasons for hearing their deep hooting calls, particularly during calm, clear evenings when sound carries well through Vermont's forests. Winter's snow and ice make hunting more challenging, requiring owls to expand their search areas and diversify their diet to survive until spring. The cycle repeats each year with remarkable consistency, reflecting millions of years of evolutionary adaptation to northern temperate forests. Seethe Vermont wildlife guidefor more.

Identifying a Great Horned Owl

Great horned owls are Vermont's largest owls, reaching lengths of 18 to 25 inches with wingspans that can exceed four feet. Both sexes share the distinctive ear tufts that give the species its name, though these are feathers, not true ears, and can be raised or lowered depending on the bird's mood and alertness. Plumage is highly variable, ranging from pale grayish-brown in some individuals to deep chocolate brown in others, with extensive cryptic barring and streaking that provides exceptional camouflage among branch and tree bark. Vermont birds tend toward darker coloration compared to western populations, making them less visible in the state's forested landscape. The facial disk is round and imposing, dominated by large, forward-facing yellow eyes that reflect light brilliantly at night when illuminated by flashlight or headlamp. The beak is large and powerful, black and hooked, visible below the feathered face. The throat is often whitish or pale buff, creating a necklace-like marking. Males are considerably smaller than females, sometimes weighing only half as much, though size differences are difficult to judge on single birds. The deep, resonant hooting call consists of four to six deliberate hoots, often described as hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo or variations thereof. Territorial and courtship calls can be elaborate, with both sexes participating in duets that echo through Vermont's forests. During flight, which is powerful and somewhat labored due to the bird's heavy weight, the rounded wings and relatively short tail are evident.

Where to Find Great Horned Owls in Vermont

The best locations to encounter great horned owls in Vermont vary by region and season. In the west, the Champlain Valley's riparian corridors along Otter Creek, the Missisquoi River, and smaller streams flowing into Lake Champlain provide excellent birding opportunities. The forested shoreline areas around Burton Island and Isle La Motte sometimes host hunting owls during evening hours. In central Vermont, the Quechee Gorge State Park area and surrounding mixed forests offer good possibilities, particularly along the Ottauquechee River corridor. The Green Mountains' eastern slopes around the villages of Stowe and Waterbury, with their mixture of second-growth forest and abandoned farm fields returning to woodland, support healthy populations. The Connecticut River Valley's extensive floodplain forests and upland woods provide reliable habitat from Vernon in the south to the Connecticut Lakes region to the north. Northern Vermont's forests around the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge provide wetland and forest habitat that attracts these powerful predators. Lower elevations generally offer better access than high mountain terrain, but owls occur at all elevations. Listen for their calls during calm evenings from late fall through early spring when vocalizations are most frequent. Early morning hours, particularly one to two hours before sunrise, and late evening from dusk through the first few hours of darkness offer the best observation opportunities. Roads passing through forested areas with open edges, such as powerline corridors and forest roads, sometimes yield glimpses of owls perched on exposed branches or snags.

Behavior and Hunting Habits

Great horned owls are Vermont's apex nocturnal predators, commanding ecological niches through lethal efficiency and remarkable adaptability. They hunt primarily at night using specialized adaptations including asymmetrical ear placement on their skulls that enables precise sound localization of prey in complete darkness and silent flight powered by feathers with specially adapted edges that eliminate the whooshing sound of normal flight. Their diet in Vermont consists primarily of Eastern cottontails and snowshoe hares, which can comprise more than half of their annual food intake. They also regularly capture squirrels, chipmunks, mice, voles, shrews, and other small mammals that are abundant in Vermont's forests and brushy areas. Birds comprise a smaller portion of their diet but include ruffed grouse, wild turkeys, waterfowl, and songbirds. Young great horned owls are sometimes killed and eaten by adults, though cannibalism is rare. A hunting owl typically perches on a high branch, cliff edge, or rock overlooking open areas, scanning methodically for movement before striking at speeds exceeding 40 miles per hour. Their powerful talons, nearly as thick as a human finger, pierce skulls and crush spines, killing prey instantly. Pair bonds are strong and long-lasting, often persisting until one member dies. Pairs often perch together on cold winter nights, huddled against each other for warmth and companionship. Male contribution to breeding success is substantial, with males providing most of the food for the family during the demanding weeks of incubation and early chick-rearing.

Coexistence and Safety

Great horned owls are protected throughout Vermont under state law and the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Harming, capturing, or killing them without proper permits is illegal, and penalties are substantial. These apex predators pose no threat to human safety and never attack people deliberately or in self-defense. No documented cases of great horned owls attacking healthy adults exist in Vermont or anywhere in North America. Small pets, particularly cats and small dogs allowed outdoors overnight or during dawn and dusk periods, can become prey for hunting great horned owls, so responsible pet ownership includes securing animals indoors during vulnerable hours. Nesting and roosting great horned owls should be observed from substantial distances, particularly during the breeding season from December through June. If you find an owlet on the ground during late spring or early summer, the bird is likely a fledgling still developing flight abilities, and parents are nearly always nearby providing food and protection. Leaving fledglings alone allows the natural growth process to continue without interference. Injured or clearly ill owls should not be approached; instead, contact the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department for guidance and possible rehabilitation options. Tree removal or pruning should be timed outside the breeding season when possible to minimize disturbance. The presence of great horned owls benefits human communities through rodent control, predation on species like Eastern cottontails that consume gardens and agricultural crops, and provision of ecological balance. Understanding their role promotes peaceful coexistence and appreciation for these remarkable predators.

Similar Species That Might Cause Confusion

Several other owls occur in Vermont and might cause confusion with great horned owls to the untrained observer, though key differences are readily apparent with careful observation. The barred owl is considerably smaller, weighing only a quarter to half as much as a great horned owl, and completely lacks ear tufts. Barred owls have dark brown eyes and a softer, less fierce facial expression compared to the piercing yellow eyes of great horned owls. Their call is entirely different, a distinctive hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-aw-hoo pattern often described as who-cooks-for-you-all, quite unlike the deep hooting of great horned owls. The short-eared owl is relatively small with very short ear tufts barely visible, pale coloration, and hunting behavior conducted over open grasslands during daylight hours, fundamentally different from the nocturnal forest hunting of great horned owls. The long-eared owl is small, weighing only one to one and a half pounds, with thin, close-set ear tufts and heavily streaked rufous plumage. Long-eared owls inhabit dense conifer stands and thickets rather than the varied forest types where great horned owls hunt. Northern saw-whet owls are tiny, no larger than a robin, with relatively insignificant ear tufts and high-pitched whistled calls. The barn owl, if encountered in Vermont's southern regions, is white-faced and pale-bodied, quite different from the dark-eyed, fierce-looking great horned owl. Learning these distinctions enriches birding skills and supports accurate species identification throughoutVermont's wildlife.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sounds do great horned owls make and when do I hear them most often? The classic call is a series of four to six deep hoots, often described as hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo or variations with slightly different rhythms and pacing between birds. Territorial calls are given year-round but are most frequent and elaborate from late fall through early spring during the breeding season. Silent hooting, where the bird opens its mouth without producing audible sound, sometimes occurs as a threat display. Are great horned owls year-round residents of Vermont? Yes, great horned owls are permanent residents that do not migrate. The same individuals that breed in Vermont during winter and spring remain through summer, fall, and winter, making them reliable members of Vermont's year-round fauna. Do great horned owls hunt from perches or by flying and listening? They typically hunt from elevated perches such as tall trees, cliff edges, and snags, surveying the landscape methodically before diving at detected prey. However, they sometimes hunt by flying slowly through forest or over open areas while listening intently. Can I find great horned owl nests or roosts on public land? Great horned owls often use nests previously built by eagles, hawks, and crows. Finding active nests requires knowledge of their typical locations, but disturbing nesting owls is illegal and ethically wrong. Respectful birders and wildlife watchers refrain from actively searching for nests, instead documenting observations from natural birding activities. How do great horned owls survive harsh Vermont winters? Great horned owls remain active hunters throughout winter, utilizing their excellent hearing and night vision to locate prey beneath snow cover. Their large body size provides good insulation, and they grow denser winter plumage than in warmer seasons. Availability of deer carcasses from hunting season and natural winter mortality supplements their diet. Explore more about Vermont's wildlife on thewildlife hub.

Plan your trip

Best time to see great horned owl in Vermont: April, March, May

See the month-by-month sighting calendar.

When to go

Plan your great horned owl sighting in Vermont

4,216 verified great horned owl records have been logged in Vermont, most recently in 2026. See the GBIF records.

Where to look in Vermont

Appalachian National Scenic Trail · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
North Country National Scenic Trail · Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching · Find hotels
Dead Creek WMA IBA · 267 species recorded
Missisquoi NWR IBA · 257 species recorded
Shelburne Bay · 256 species recorded
Delta Park IBA · 253 species recorded
Dead Creek WMA IBA--Brilyea Access · 239 species recorded
Herrick's Cove IBA · 239 species recorded

Birding hotspots via eBird (Cornell Lab).

Recent great horned owl sightings

Mt. Ascutney · 2026-07-11 01:30 · 1 seen
City Bay / Hero's Welcome · 2026-07-03 21:12 · 1 seen
1115 Ayers Farm Rd, Stowe US-VT 44.42616, -72.69291 · 2026-07-01 22:13 · 1 seen
LaPlatte River and Marshes (S of Bay Road) · 2026-07-01 15:00 · 1 seen
Walker Pond - Hubbardton (13 acres) · 2026-06-29 13:08 · 2 seen

Planning a trip to see great horned owl? Find places to stay near Appalachian National Scenic Trail on Booking.com.

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