Great Horned Owl

Photograph by Joel Sartore

The most common owl in North and South America, the great horned owl is a hard-working partner and father. In late winter, while his mate stays on the nest with their clutch of two or three eggs, the male heads off to find food for both of them, carrying rats, mice, and squirrels back to the nest. Once the chicks hatch, his job gets harder—he now has to feed an additional two or three mouths.