Great Gray Owl

Great Gray Owl
Strix nebulosa

Habitat:	Boreal forests close to open areas.

Range:	Alaska, Canada, and parts of the Northwestern US. Also found in northern Europe.

Voice:	A series of deep booming hoots.

Identification:	Length:24 - 33 inches Wingspan: 54 - 60 inches Weight: 2 - 3 lbs. A very large owl with no ear tufts. It has yellow eyes which are surrounded by a very large grayish facial disk with dark and light rings. Has a white throat patch. Upperparts are a mottle grayish-brown while the underparts are paler and streaked.

Diet:		Eats mostly rodents and other small mammals but occasionally eats birds and insects.

Nest:	Uses old stick nests of crows or hawks as well as broken off tree tops. The female usually lays 3 - 5 eggs, although they may lay as many as 9. The eggs are incubated for 28 - 26 days by the female. The young leave the nest between 20 and 29 days. They can't fly but are excellent climbers. It takes them another 1 - 2 weeks for them to learn how to fly. The female takes care of the young until they are 4 - 5 months old.

Comments:	This is the largest owl in North America. It is usually seen alone. The Great Gray Owl is nocturnal, but is also active during the daylight. It is a tame owl and will often let humans approach fairly closely. During harsh winters or when prey is scarce, a small number of these owl move south into the northeastern parts of the United States.