Desert Denizen?

I was hiking a wash outside of Phoenix in October and spooked a large bird during the day. I immediately realized it was an owl, and was pretty excited to turn up a new owl species for me. Imagine my surprise to see it sit in a tree, and realize it appears to be a Great Horned Owl. Although extremely common in Ohio and Michigan, I have yet to ever see one. I hear them call frequently during the evenings, and I have always thought of them as a forest species. Just goes to show how little I know about the deserts and their inhabitants.  Add this to my list of Ohio animals that I associate with forests, but actually see first in the desert (ex. bobcat).

 

BH