Great silent hunter:Why late fall and early winter are the best times to listen for the Great Horned Owl

摘要

DURING A RECENT Christmas visit to my parents' house in my hometown of Dalhart, in the Texas Panhandle, I was awakened by the low-pitched but loud call of a Great Horned Owl: ho-ho-hoo hoo hoo.This wasn't particularly unusual. I hear the owls during most wintertime visits to my parents' house, but it is usually when I am outside the confines of the house.Myparents and I have had frequent discussions about their neighborhood owls because they own a Chihuahua and two of their three kids bring small dogs when their families come to visit. I doubt that a large owl sees much difference between such and, say,a jackrabbit or a coyote pup.