Great Gray Owl

Great Gray Owl

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A huge owl of the boreal forest and western mountains, the Great Gray Owl feeds on rather small rodent prey.

Description

• Very large gray owl.
• Round head without ear tufts.
• Black and white "bowtie" under face.
• Eyes yellow.

• Size: 61-84 cm (24-33 in)
• Wingspan: 137-153 cm (54-60 in)
• Weight: 700-1700 g (24.71-60.01 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes alike in plumage, but female larger.

Sound

Series of deep, evenly spaced "hoos."

Conservation Status

Negatively affected by logging and clearcutting.

Other Names

Chouette lapone (French)
Cárabo lapòn (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• Although the Great Gray Owl is the tallest American owl with the largest wingspan, it is just a ball of feathers. It preys on small mammals and has relatively small feet. Both the Great Horned and Snowy owls weigh half again as much, and have larger feet and talons.

Sources used to construct this page:

Bull, E. L. and J. R. Duncan. 1993. Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa). In The Birds of North America, No.41 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, D.C.: The American Ornithologists' Union.