They have a wing span of 35-55 inches.
Females are usually larger than the males.
They are the heaviest and most powerful American owl, and second in size only to the rare Great Grey Owl. They have large bright yellow eyes, and a bold white throat bib. The color of these birds varies with the area they are found in. Pacific Northwest and Canadian Great Horned Owls are very dark, but the desert region birds are usually very sandy in color. Arctic Great Horned Owls on the other hand are almost white.