It generally occurs in more open areas than the North American great horned owls, and avoids dense humid forest, e.g. the Amazon Rainforest.

Two additional taxa from the great horned owl superspecies are native to South America: B. v. nigrescens of the north Andean highlands and B.

Early authorities suggested the South American great horned owl was a valid species with nigrescens and magellanicus as subspecies, but this is not supported by any recent authorities, although the South American great horned owl in itself is relatively distinctive compared to nigrescens, magellanicus and the various North American subspecies of the great horned owl.

[2] The South American great horned owl is a dull brownish colour with a long bill; birds from the semi-arid interior of Brazil often have much white on uppertail-coverts and ear-coverts.

[3] The South American great horned owl is known from eastern Colombia, Venezuela, Belize, French Guiana, northeastern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina.