Great Horned Owl Hoots At Golden Retriever And What Happens Next Is Unexpected

Everyone knows dogs bark to communicate, but did you know canines aren't the only animals that can do this? Birds can, too, and not just parrots that mimic what they hear. Great horned owls also vocalize in this way, as a photographer proved with an Instagram compilation clip from October 2025 involving an owl and his golden retriever, River. The post has garnered more than 216,000 likes, with many viewers fascinated by the scene.

The video begins with River seated in the foyer of a home — his attention drawn to something on the high ceiling. Barking sounds echo in the room, leading some viewers to assume they're coming from River, but as the camera pans up, a great horned owl perched on a chandelier comes into view. The owl matches River's gaze, and moments later, it lets out another "woof." "That time my golden retriever got to meet a greeted horned owl and got barked at," the overlay text reads.

Clearly stunned by this barking winged creature high above his head, River turns toward the camera. His face says what everyone's thinking. "Did that bird just bark at me?" Turns out, the owl is a tamed pet, which River got the chance to physically interact with later. The animal's humans allowed the owl to rest on River's back outdoors as a reward for the dog's good behavior. After all, goldens are one of the smartest dog breeds in the world, so of course, River was a good boy.

Most people associate owls with the classic "hoot" vocalization, but now you can add "barking" to the list. Great horned owls actually make a wide variety of sounds, including hisses, shrieks, and whistles, but why do they bark? Dogs bark when they're happy, angry, fearful, curious, etc. Owls, on the other hand, produce short, barking calls as alarm sounds or in response to a perceived threat. So while River might be in a good mood when he's barking, the great horned owl barked because it felt threatened.

The animals' exchange in the foyer was likely their first encounter, so it's no surprise that the bird reacted defensively. But, as the rest of the clip shows, the owl quickly learned that River meant no harm. It eventually trusted him enough to perch on his back without fear. River was just as delighted with the experience as viewers were watching it. "I would lose my mind in excitement too if I got to [h]old an owl!" one person said. This great horned owl can certainly be added to any list of the cutest owls to ever owl.

Interested in reading about other interspecies interactions? Check out 16 interspecies friendships that are too pure for this timeline.