What Animal Eats Owls?
Adult owls do not typically fall prey to other animals as sources of food, although owlets and owl eggs are eaten by foxes, cats, bobcats, coyotes, raccoons and American black bears. Some other animals that eat nestlings or eggs include opossums, crows and ravens. In some cases, diseased, impaired or starving nestlings are consumed by their parents or siblings,
Hawks, North American eagles and other owls sometimes prey on adult owls, but this is typically caused by territorial disputes. Some adult owls also fall victim to their prey. Humans often pose the greatest danger to owls through the destruction of habitats, leaving the owls with fewer areas to hunt and nest in. This causes even more territory disputes among owls that are competing for fewer available resources. Automobiles also pose a great danger to owls that hunt and land along roadways because those owls are often hit by passing cars. Some owls are also killed when they fly into manmade structures or objects, such as buildings, barbed wire fences or power lines. Humans also kill owls intentionally through the use of guns, traps or poison. Some owls are poisoned unintentionally when they ingest rodents that have eaten poison or they come into contact with topical famphur on cattle.
The snowy owl and the great horned owl prey on other species of owls because they are territorial. If these owls infringe upon their territory, the snowy owl and great horned owl eat them in order to reduce competition. The more owls in one territory results in fewer resources.
Other birds of prey such as hawks and eagles also feed on owls. Although this does not happen often, it can result because both the owls and the birds of prey are fighting over the same territory. Usually the owls are too large for the birds to fight effectively, and hawks and eagles leave them alone.
Foxes and bobcats feed upon young owls or owlets. They often stalk and attack unguarded nests. However, adult owls protecting their nests can kill foxes and cats.
