GREAT HORNED OWLS

Franklin

Franklin was found in a field along the Pasco-Hernando County border, suffering from a wing injury - possibly the result of a vehicle collision, though we don't know for sure.

He was placed in the skilled hands of the veterinary staff at Busch Gardens, where they surgically placed steel rods to help set the humerus bone of the injured wing.  Despite their best efforts, the injury did not heal as hoped, thus was deemed non-releasable.

Franklin became a member of our educational ambassador flock in May of 2012, official age undetermined - but estimated to be at least 4 years old at that time.

His name was chosen in honor of Franklin Arthur, a long-time volunteer here at McGough Nature Park.

ELEANOR

Eleanor was found on the Fox Hollow Golf Course in the northern area of Pinellas County and taken to the Busch Gardens Animal Care Center for treatment.  She sustained eye injuries, the culprit of which we do not know -- maybe it was the talons of a fellow bird of prey in a territory squabble, maybe something else.

While she may not be able to hunt in the twilight hours of the day, we have a hunch that Eleanor is able to differentiate light and shadow to some degree, with putting her superb owl-hearing to use, to navigate her enclosure.  We also speculate Franklin may also help guide her along, but we don't have any official proof to back that up.
She enjoys walking out to the pier on sunny days and feeling the breeze in her plumicorns.

Official age unknown, Eleanor joined the flock in September 2012.

a few great horned facts:

Dedicated volunteer and friend. Thank you for everything, Mike.

​Scientific Name: Bubo virginianus 

From subarctic tundra to suburban neighborhoods, the Great Horned Owl is found all throughout North America.  Featured to the left is a short video of Franklin quietly hooting at the camera (though, really, it's him being mildly stubborn about stepping up on glove for his handler).  The hoot is the most common sound we associate with the great horned owl, though when communicating with one another, they make a chirpy-chittering sound.  Franklin and Eleanor share moments of chittering with one another throughout the day.

They are incredibly fierce predators, preying on animals such as rabbits, ducks, and even skunks!  The owl's sense of smell is not like our own, so they don't seem to mind or notice when it comes to particularly fragrant prey.
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While great horned owls hunt in the early morning before sunrise and/or later in the day during sunset, they are somewhat active throughout the day.  Many admirers often ask volunteers, "Aren't they supposed to be asleep right now?" during a bright Florida afternoon.  Short answer is, they're partially active throughout the day, taking short snoozes along the way.

There have been a few wild great horned visitors at the park throughout the years, so keep your eyes and ears peeled the next time you take a walk.

"Whoooo is says my ears are big?"
While they may look like ears, they aren't.  The tufts on Franklin's head here are officially called 'plumicorns.'  They convey emotions, much like how humans use their eyebrows to express various moods -like concern, anger, or when they're feeling neutral.  In the wild, owls use their coloration and intricate feather patterns to blend into the background, especially in trees.

My, what big feet you have!
Birds of prey use their feet to catch their food.  The great horned owl has a grip strength and crushing power of at least 300psi, but some sources cite that strength is probably more like 500psi.

The Great Horned Owls' enclosure was sponsored by the Clearwater Audubon Society ​and built by Casey Sammel as part of his Eagle Project.

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The Friends of Largo Nature Parks
     11901 146th Street North
     Largo, FL 33774

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