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Great Gray Owl

Strix nebulosaOrder: STRIGIFORMESFamily: True Owls (Strigidae)
Great Gray Owl Head Illustration

Head

  • Bill Shape: Hooked
  • Eye Color: Yellow.
  • Head Pattern: Eyeline, Striped, Special (unique patterns or features)
  • Crown Color: Gray-brown with paler mottling.
  • Forehead Color: Gray-brown with paler mottling. Distinct dark rings framing gray facial disk.
  • Nape Color: Gray-brown with paler mottling.
  • Throat Color: White with gray wash. with central dark patch.
  • Cere color: Gray
Great Gray Owl Body Illustration

Body

  • Length Range: 61-84 cm (24-33 in)
  • Weight: 771 g (27.2 oz)
  • Size: Size 4. Large (16 - 32 in)
  • Color: White, Black, Gray
  • Underparts: White with gray wash. with median dark stripes.
  • Upperparts: Gray-brown with gray-washed white mottling.
  • Back Pattern: Mottled
  • Belly Pattern: Mottled
  • Breast Pattern: Mottled

Flight

  • Flight Pattern: Silent direct flight., Quick, deep wing strokes., Several powerful wing beats.
  • Wingspan Range: 137-152 cm (54-60 in)
  • Wing Shape: Broad-Wings
  • Tail Shape: Rounded Tail
  • Tail Pattern: Gray and green
  • Upper Tail: Mottled gray-brown and pale gray.
  • Under Tail: Gray with gray-brown barring.
  • Leg Color: Feathered in white with gray wash..
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Family True Owl (Strigidae)_blue
Species Strix nebulosa
Length24 - 33 Inches
Wingspan57 Inches

Great Gray Owl

Great Gray Owl: Large owl, dark gray body interspersed with bars and flecks of brown, pale gray, and white. Head is large and without ear tufts. Yellow eyes are relatively small. Bulky appearance when perching due to dense, fluffy plumage, long wings extending past body, and relatively long tail.

● Song: "whooooooo-woo-wo", "hoot"

● Foraging & Feeding: Great Gray Owl: Feeds primarily on small rodents such as voles and pocket gophers; also consumes shrews and birds. Hunts from a perch, from which it locates prey with its keen sense of hearing.

● Breeding & nesting: Great Gray Owl: Two to five white eggs are laid in an abandoned stick nest made by hawks, ravens, or crows. Female incubates eggs for 28 to 29 days.

● Similar species: Great Gray Owl: Barred Owl is smaller, has brown eyes, and is brown and white overall.

Flight Pattern

Silent direct flight., Quick, deep wing strokes., Several powerful wing beats.
Great Gray Owl Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Great Gray Owl: Found from Alaska across Canada, down the northern Rocky Mountains, and in northern Minnesota; also in northern Europe and Asia. Preferred habitats include stunted coniferous forests along the edge of the Arctic treeline and mixed or coniferous forests.
BreedingMonogamous
PopulationRare to uncommon
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight27.2 Ounces