WILD ABOUT TEXAS: Great horned owls elicit mystery, fear in
people, prey  SAN ANGELO, Texas - A multitude of animals elicit
thoughts of mystery and fear among people. These include animals
such as spiders, scorpions and snakes. However, one creature
that lives in a shroud of mystery is found right here in West
Texas. Many people know about the great horned owl, but few are
truly familiar with their habits.  The great horned owl (Bubo
virginianus) is a large bird of prey that is found throughout
most of North and South America, from Canada to Argentina. In
fact, it has the largest range of any of the owl family
Strigidae, also known as the true owls.  This particular species
of owl is a habitat generalist, able to live in just about any
type of habitat that supports tree life, including mesquite
trees of the Panhandle, the live-oaks of the Edwards Plateau and
the pines of the Trans-Pecos mountains. The only requirement is
that the trees provide enough cover to support a place to nest
and to be a center point f