Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 24–33.1 in
61–84 cm - Wingspan
- 53.9–60.2 in
137–153 cm - Weight
- 24.7–60 oz
700–1700 g
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.
Habitat
Forest
Boreal forest.
Food
Mammals
Small mammals, especially rodents.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Egg Description
- White.
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless, eyes closed, covered in gray and white down.
Nest Description
Broken-topped dead tree or existing nest of other bird species.
Nest Placement
Tree
Behavior
Aerial Dive
Locates mice below snow by hearing, then plunges down through surface to capture them.
Conservation
Least Concern
Negatively affected by logging and clearcutting.
Credits
- 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.