Photo: Greg Hume / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Bird Common — the most widely distributed true owl in the Americas Not dangerous — still wild
Crikey, the original hoot owl! Early naturalists called this bird the 'winged tiger,' and the name fits — a big, silent night hunter that will take on anything from a vole to a skunk. It's officially on Glacier Bay's species list, so keep your ears open after dark and give it a respectful 25 yards.
📏 Keep your distance: 25 yards minimum — Glacier Bay's standard distance for wildlife other than bears and wolves. Non-negotiable, even for a bird this tolerant.
Stay safe
This little champion is no threat to you — but it IS a raptor with serious talons. Keep 25 yards back, never approach a nest, and never feed or bait any wildlife in Glacier Bay.
If you encounter one
Lucky you! Stop, stay quiet, and enjoy from at least 25 yards. If the owl is staring at you, bobbing, or clacking its bill, it's stressed — back away slowly and give it more room.
Never feed or approach wildlife — it's dangerous for you and often fatal for them.
🦊 Species ID card
- Size & weight
- A large owl — one of the big, powerfully built true owls of the Americas. Exact measurements vary by region.
- Identifying features
- A big, bulky owl — the original 'hoot owl.' Early naturalists nicknamed it the 'winged tiger' and 'tiger of the air' for its bold, take-anything hunting style. At night, the deep hooting call is the surest ID.
- Habitat
- An extremely adaptable bird with a vast range — this owl is a habitat generalist that shares hunting grounds and even nesting habits with the red-tailed hawk. In Glacier Bay it is recorded as present on the park's official species inventory.
- Diet
- Mostly rabbits and hares, rats and mice, and voles — and here's the wild part: it's one of the few regular predators of skunk! It also takes other rodents, larger mid-sized mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. Never feed it or any park wildlife.
- Active
- Nocturnal — the night-shift counterpart to the red-tailed hawk, which hunts similar prey in similar habitat by day.
👀 Where & when to see them in Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve
Best time
Night. This species is nocturnal — after dark is when it hunts and calls. Its daytime equivalent in the same habitat is the red-tailed hawk, so daylight owl sightings are a rare bonus.
Spotting tips
- Ears beat eyes — track the hooting before you look.
- Check big snags and forest edges at dusk and after dark.
- Early spring nights are prime for territorial calling, since this owl nests earlier than other raptors.
- Where you see red-tailed hawks by day, the night shift belongs to this owl.
With kids
A brilliant species for kids — safe to observe and famous for its hoots. Make it a game: have the kids listen for the deep hooting after dark near your camp or lodging, and teach them the 25-yard rule for every animal they meet.
📷 Photographing them
Bring
Binoculars are essential for a nocturnal bird, and a telephoto lens lets you keep the full 25 yards. A red-filtered headlamp preserves your night vision while you listen.
Shoot ethically
No baiting, no spotlighting, and no recorded calls to lure the bird — a nocturnal hunter's night vision and hunting time are precious. Shoot from 25 yards or more and skip flash on a hunting or nesting owl.
🔭 Gear that helps you spot them
🌲 Natural history
- Breeding season
- One of the earliest-nesting birds in North America — it often lays eggs weeks or even months before other raptorial birds. Give any nest a wide berth; raptors defend their young.
- Winter
- Does not hibernate — owls stay active through the winter.
🌍 Conservation
How visitors help
Keep the 25-yard distance, never feed or bait wildlife, pack out food scraps that attract the rodents-then-predators chain to roads and camps, and give early-season nests plenty of space — this species nests before most other raptors even start.
❓ Questions people ask
Is the great horned owl dangerous to people?
No — this is a 'little champion,' not a beautiful beast. It's a powerful raptor, though, so keep the standard 25-yard distance and never approach a nest.
Will I actually see one in Glacier Bay?
It's officially recorded as present on the park's species inventory, but it's nocturnal — most visitors hear the deep hoots rather than see the bird. After dark is your window.
Does it really eat skunks?
It does! The great horned owl is one of the few regular predators of skunk, on top of a menu of rabbits, hares, rats, mice, voles, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates.
When is the best time of year to hear them?
This is one of the earliest-nesting birds in North America — it lays eggs weeks or even months before other raptors — so late-winter and early-spring nights tend to be full of territorial hooting.
Can I use an owl call app to bring one in?
Please don't. Playback and baiting stress a hunting, nesting bird and are poor field ethics. Listen, locate, and enjoy from 25 yards or more.
Why is it called the 'tiger owl'?
Early naturalists described it as the 'winged tiger' or 'tiger of the air' for its bold hunting — the nickname stuck alongside 'hoot owl.'
