|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
Hit the picture to enlarge |
Great Gray Owl (Strix
nebulosa)
Range
The Great Gray Owl lives through much of the northern boreal forest from
Alaska in the west to the Great Lakes in the east. The range extends
southward in the mountains of the west to Wyoming and California. Deep
coniferous forest and muskeg.
Size
Length from tip of bill to tip of tail 24 to 34 inches. A large owl with
a subdued dark, ashen gray coloration. Face disks large, gray with
yellow eyes and a series of concentric gray circles. Neck with a
distinctive, white band. Underside lighter than the upperside,
vertically striped, but stripes weak and diffuse.
Food
Main food is small nocturnal rodents. They have been recorded to eat
rats, small rabbits, sparrows, bats, frogs, large insects and even fish.
Similar Species
The Great Gray Owl could be mistaken for the Northern Hawk Owl. The
Northern Hawk Owl is only half of the size of the Great Gray Owl, the
black margins of the eye disks contrast with the whitish interior, and
the undersides are horizontally striped, not vertically. The Barred Owl
is smaller, the eyes are dark, not yellow, and the neck and breast
region is horizontally striped, not vertically. The Great Horned Owl is
comparable in size, but the coloration is much lighter and browner, and
the head has distinctive, ear-like tufts of feathers.
Behavior
A rare and elusive nocturnal owl of the boreal forest. The Great Gray
Owl spends most of its time hidden in dense stands of conifers and is
rarely seen. The voice is a deep, loud hoots.
Reproduction
The clutch consists of 2 to 5 white eggs. The eggs are laid in large
nest of sticks hidden in a dense conifer.
|
