05/11/2019
Bébé Grand Duc d'Amérique/Great Horned Owl/Búho Americano (Bubo virginianus). From Avibase and Wikipedia...
The Great Horned Owl is the most widely distributed true owl in the Americas, with at least 11 sub-species. Its breeding habitat extends high into the subarctic of North America. They are distributed throughout most of North and very spottily in Central America and then down into South America south to upland regions of Argentina, Bolivia and Peru, It is absent from the West Indies, the Queen Charlotte Islands and almost all off-shore islands in the Americas.
Its primary diet consists of rabbits and hares, with birds in second position. Other animals taken include rats, mice, voles, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates.
The facial disc can be reddish, brown, or grey in colour (depending on geographical and racial variation) and is demarked by a dark rim culminating in bold, blackish side brackets. The iris is yellow, except in the amber-eyed South American B. v. nacurutu. The "horns" are in fact tufts of feathers called plumicorns. The powerful talons can apply at least 300 lb/sq.in. of crushing power, considerably more than the human hand is capable of.
Top lifespan is approximately 13 years. Most mortality in modern times is human-related, caused by owls flying into man-made objects, including buildings, power lines, or barbed wire. A leading cause of death is collision with cars. Many are found shot or trapped. Secondary poisoning from pest control efforts with anticoagulant rodenticides, strychnine, organophosphates, organochlorines, and PCBs. It is considered GLOBALLY THREATENED by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). Much more @ .
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