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Hoo’s making that noise? Great horned owls nesting in area

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Listen closely at night, and you might hear the call of an interesting, if not-often-seen, urban dwelling owl.

Now is nesting season for the great horned owl, and males are making their distinctive, low “hoo” call to females, usually between dusk and midnight. The owls set up in abandoned stick nests made by squirrels, crows and hawks, and are often found in tall trees near streams and large green areas — like golf courses.

The owls are found throughout Kansas, and are easily identified by their large size (their wingspan in generally around four feet) and tufts of feathers, or “horns,” on their head.

Keep your ears open on evening walks, and you may hear pairs of males and females calling to each other. Click here for audio of great horned owls calling.

About the author

Jay Senter
Jay Senter

Jay Senter is the founder and publisher of the Post.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in business at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where he worked as a reporter and editor at The Badger Herald.

He went on to receive a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Kansas, where he earned the Calder Pickett Award. While he was in graduate school, he also worked as a reporter for the Lawrence Journal-World.

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