---
title: "Great horned owl vs mallard — size, weight and speed compared"
description: "Great horned owl is somewhat greater than mallard on weight — about 1.3×. Compared on 4 measured properties, with the full range and a source for each."
url: https://atoneplace.net/vs/great-horned-owl-vs-mallard/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Great horned owl vs Mallard

**Great horned owl vs mallard: Great horned owl is larger on weight**

Great horned owl is somewhat greater than mallard on weight — about 1.3×.

A great horned owl and a mallard can be compared on 4 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

## Side by side

*Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.*

|  | Great horned owl | Mallard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weight | 0.68–2.5 kg | 0.7–1.6 kg |
| Length | 0.43–0.64 m | 0.5–0.65 m |
| Width | 0.91–1.53 m | 0.81–0.98 m |
| Typical lifespan | 10–28 yr | 3–29 yr |

## What the numbers say

- Great horned owl is somewhat greater than mallard on weight — about 1.3×.
- Great horned owl and mallard are near enough identical on length.
- Great horned owl is somewhat greater than mallard on width — about 1.4×.
- Great horned owl is 2.6× mallard on typical lifespan.

*Weight compared.*

- Great horned owl: 0.68–2.5 kg
- Mallard: 0.7–1.6 kg

## Great horned owl

North America's most widespread large owl, with a grip strong enough to take skunks and other raptors.

## Mallard

The most common wild duck in the Northern Hemisphere and the ancestor of nearly all domestic ducks.

> This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

## Common questions

### Which is bigger, great horned owl or mallard?

Great horned owl is somewhat greater than mallard on weight — about 1.3×. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.

### How do great horned owls and mallards compare on length?

Great horned owl: 0.43–0.64 m. Mallard: 0.5–0.65 m. Great horned owl and mallard are near enough identical on length.

### How do great horned owls and mallards compare on width?

Great horned owl: 0.91–1.53 m. Mallard: 0.81–0.98 m. Great horned owl is somewhat greater than mallard on width — about 1.4×.

## Related pages

- [Great horned owl vs peregrine falcon](https://atoneplace.net/vs/great-horned-owl-vs-peregrine-falcon/)
- [Mallard vs peregrine falcon](https://atoneplace.net/vs/mallard-vs-peregrine-falcon/)
- [Black mamba vs mallard](https://atoneplace.net/vs/black-mamba-vs-mallard/)

## Sources

- Wikidata — Wikimedia Foundation (https://www.wikidata.org/) [CC0 1.0]