Stella

Scientific Name: Bubo virginianus

Order: Strigiformes (owls)

Family: Strigidae

Conservation Status

About

Stella is a great horned owl, a species considered to be one of the largest and most powerful in North America. She is a voracious and efficient predator; she can grip her prey with up to 28 lbs of force. In the wild she would hunt rodents, rabbits, and snakes.

Stella was born in 2010 in Washington State. She arrived at Elmwood Park Zoo in August 2011 and has since served as an Education Ambassador, helping to teach people of all ages about wildlife conservation.

Birthdate: 2008
Height: 2 ft
Weight: 3 lbs
Wingspan:5 ft

Stella is in possession of the Elmwood Park Zoo by the authority of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

AZA Raptor Taxon Advisory Group
The AZA Raptor Taxon Advisory Group (TAG) works with the Elmwood Park Zoo in support and management of captive birds of prey. It is through this partnership that this owl represents one of thousands of raptors that are housed at zoological institutions nationally. The TAG focuses its efforts on conservation of raptors both here in the United States as well as globally. The TAG is supportive of the use of this owl as a means to further raise awareness as to the majesty of owls and the need to continue to conserve them and all raptors. We are proud to work with the TAG, and share their support of owl conservation and public awareness.

Find me at EPZ

Location: This animal is not on exhibit. It is part of our educational collection and may only be seen in programs inside or outside of the zoo.

Arrived at EPZ: 08/03/2011

Habitat & Range
Great horned owls are native to the Americas. They inhabit a wide variety of environments, including mixed forests, tropical rainforests, prairies, deserts, subarctic tundra and mountainous regions. They can occasionally be found in urban and suburban areas, but prefer areas with less human activity.
Identification
The great horned owl is a heavy, barrel-shaped species that varies in plumage coloration. In general, they are brown, gray or reddish in color with white interspersed on their chest. They have bright yellow eyes and despite their name, their “horns” are simply tufts of feathers atop their head. An average adult measures 22 inches long with a 49-inch wingspan and weighs approximately 3 pounds.
Diet
Great horned owls hunt by watching from a high perch, typically blending in with their surroundings due to their natural-colored plumage. Prey includes small to medium-sized mammals and rodents such as rabbits, squirrels and mice.
Reproduction & Lifespan
Great horned owls breed in late January or February, but can be heard calling to each other as early as October. Males select their mate in December by hooting and puffing up their white chest feathers. Pairs typically breed together year after year and may mate for life. Females lay an average of 2 eggs per clutch that require 28 to 37 days of incubation. Great horned owls in the wild live an average of 13 years, while the longest recorded lifespan in captivity is 38 years.
Fantastic Fact
Great horned owls are very adaptable! They are the most widely distributed owls in the Americas, even though they don’t reside in every region in the Americas.

Stella

Conservation Status

About

Find me at EPZ

Habitat & Range

Identification

Diet

Reproduction & Lifespan

Fantastic Fact