What you need to know about the great horn owl in Australia
- October 11, 2021
A great horned owl has been spotted by Australian wildlife photographers in the south-west.
Key points:The animal was photographed on Wednesday in a bushland on a remote part of the Great Smoky Mountains National ParkThe owls were found in the park’s Nellis RangeThe park has been closed for the last three weeks due to the severe weatherThe bird has been dubbed the ‘great horned’ owl for its long, sharp hornsThe great horn owls, native to the southern part of Australia’s Great Smokies, are found in its forests and are highly intelligent.
The animals have a large number of small horns on their bodies.
Their size means they can grow up to five feet (1.6 metres) long.
Great horned owls have been spotted in the Great Southern Desert near Goulburn, south of Brisbane, for the past three weeks.
They have been photographed in the area since December and have been feeding on the dead vegetation.
But a wildlife ranger who spotted them said it was “not a natural habitat” and said it would be difficult to catch them.
“I haven’t seen them for a long time,” he said.
“It’s not something you’re going to see on the bush.”
Mr Dyer said the owl had been tagged and released by the Queensland Wildlife Service.
“We are very pleased that this owl has returned,” he told ABC Rural.
“This is an important bird for the park and we hope it will continue to thrive.”
The Queensland Wildlife Services is investigating.
Topics:birdlife,wildlife,parks,woolworth-barbour-2580,nellis-range-2573Contact Nicola WhitemoreMore stories from Northern Territory
