Enclosure status
Open
IUCN status
Least Concern
Scientific name
Strix nebulosa
Order
Strigiformes
Type
Birds
Family
Strigidae
Region
Canada, USA and Russia
Habitat
Forests
Where are great gray owls from?
Great gray owls live in the forests and mountain ranges throughout Russia, Canada and the USA. The largest Strix in north America and the only member of its genus that breeds in both the new and old worlds. It’s large number of feathers allows it to withstand the freezing temperatures of northern winters.
Great grey owl hunting
These birds are specialist rodent hunters, their flat circular face acts as a satellite, collecting sounds waves and directing them to hidden ears, giving them super hearing. Great gray owls can accurately locate by ear its rodent prey under snow and have been reported to break through snow crust thick enough to support the weight of an 80 kg man.
What do great grey owls eat?
Shrews, voles, gophers, and rabbits
Great gray owl nesting
Great gray owls prefer abandoned/ old nest of other birds but will also nest in the tops of broken trees.
Clutch size: 2-5 eggs
Incubation - 28-30 days
Eggs incubated only by the female, male finds food and feeds the female while shes on the nest.