Great Grey Owl Facts

Large, greyish owl with no ear tufts and very large facial disk. Generally greyish-brown with mottled upper-parts and streaked somewhat paler under-parts. The grey facial disk is marked with dark concentric bands with short, white eyebrows and black “beard”. Small, yellow eyes.

This is a nomadic bird which breeds in areas where food, particularly voles, is plentiful. True invasions into areas with good food supplies have been observed and in such cases struggles can occur for nesting sites between the males.

The Great Grey is most active at night but during the breeding season is seen during the day. It can be very aggressive near the nest and will even attack and injure human intruders.

The owl normally hunts from a perch and is known to be able to detect its prey, even under a thick layer of snow, up to 50cm, by hearing alone. Prey location is so effective that the owl can grip its prey successfully through the layer of snow with its feet, which for the size of owl are quite dainty. But, as with all owls, the force produced by the toes and talons usually means instant death for the prey gripped.