Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa)

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Great Gray Owl (Strigidae: Strix nebulosa)

The Great Gray Owl is an elusive denizen of the western half of the Northern Boreal Forest. Its range also extends into the northern Mountain Forests of the Pacific Northwest.

Identifying Features: The Great Gray Owl is a large owl without "ears" (tufts of feathers from the top of the head) and with yellow eyes. The species is mottled gray and the disk of the face has concentric gray circles. The lower margin of the face is edged with white.

Similar Species: The Northern Hawk Owl occurs in similar habitats and it also lacks "ears". However the face of the Northern Hawk Owl is white margined with black on the sides. The belly is white striped with black, not the mottled gray of the Great Gray Owl.

Habitat: The Great Gray Owl lives in deep coniferous forest or muskeg. It is so well hidden in among the trees that it is seldom seen.

Food: Rodents and other small mammals.

Behavior: The call of the Great Gray Owl is a deep, echoing "Who" repeated 10 or more times and descending in tone. It hunts during the day sitting on a perch watching for prey.

Reproduction: The Great Gray Owl nests in coniferous trees. The large nest consists of a pile of sticks containing 2 to 5 white eggs. The eggs are small relative to the large size of the bird.