How to Identify a Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)

• Head pattern: Conspicuous 'ear' tufts (feather tufts, not true ears) atop the head
• Body pattern: White throat patch contrasting with the body
• Body pattern: Horizontal bars across the belly
• Size: Large owl: length 18-24 in (46-63 cm); wingspan 3 ft 4 in-4 ft 9 in (1.02-1.45 m); weight 32-88 oz (910 g-2.5 kg)
• Habitat: Found in practically all habitats in North America, from swamps to deserts to northern coniferous forests near treeline

Great Horned Owl has conspicuous ear tufts, which Barred Owl entirely lacks; Great Horned Owl also shows horizontal belly bars and a white throat rather than the Barred Owl's vertical belly streaking The Barred Owl page lists its own marks.

Found in practically all habitats in North America, from swamps to deserts to northern coniferous forests near treeline Found almost throughout North America and much of South America, across Alaska, Canada, and all US regions

Raptors are usually far away and against the sky, so expose for the bird, not the sky, and take several frames as it turns: the tail shape, wing shape and underwing pattern show best in flight. For a perched bird, get the head and chest in one frame. Size is hard to judge alone; compare with a nearby crow, gull or fence post. The app names the likely species; confirm with the marks above.