Great Gray Owl
(Strix nebulosa)
The Great Gray Owl is the largest of the North American Owls but not the most massive (a lot of his size is feather). Distinguished by its grayish brown color, large size, "white mustache" and "black bow tie" (white throat and black chin). White distinctive eyebrows and lores. Length is 27" (about the size of a Turkey Vulture or slightly smaller than a Golden Eagle), the iris of the eyes are yellow, the facial disk has concentric rings, and the bill is yellow to olive green. The Great Gray lacks ear tufts and has a relatively large head and small eyes.
The Great Gray Owl hunts mainly during early morning and late afternoon, especially during winter, but will also hunt during other daylight hours and at night. They are often seen perched on poles or fenceposts along roads. When hunting, a Great Gray Owl will use a perch to "sit and wait" or it may hunt through the forest a metre or so (a few feet) above the ground. When ground is covered with snow, a Great Gray Owl can hunt by hearing alone and often plunges into the snow to capture small rodents moving underneath as far as 30 centimetres (12 inches).