51 Great Grey Owl

• A group of Great Grey Owls are called; Bazaar / Stooping / Parliament / Glaring / Wisdom.
• This Grey Owl we saw on our trip from Meadow Lake SK to Water Valley AB. 
• This Owl has been known by many name; Phantom of the North / Spectral Owl  / Lapland Owl / Spruce Owl / Bearded Owl / Sooty Owl.
• By length this is the biggest of all owls but by weight it falls way down leaving that distinction for the Great Horned Owl.  
• They are extremely protective of their nest, known to drive away even Black Bears.
• Their size is mostly made up of fluffy feathers, they are very deceptive.  

•  Their large facial disks also known as "ruffs" help focus sound.  They also have asymmetrical placement of ears, one lower than the other, helping to pinpoint prey.  They can hear mice or moles under two feet of snow.  They then "snow plunge" to get their prey, a type of hunting exclusive to this owl.  They also have fixed eyes relying on the movement of the head 270 degrees to see or hear prey.
• They are semi-nocturnal, meaning they hunt mostly at night or near dark.

• The Great Grey Owl rely on old growth forest.  In Canada we have a very well managed forestry industry keeping an effective balance of new, harvested and old growth.  Other animals rely on new growth and harvested areas to survive.

•  This moose we saw at Water Valley AB near my brothers.  They are browsers and rely on harvested and new growth areas.
• Great Grey Owls are my favorite of the owls as you can see by the Stooping of pictures in my house.

 

•  In March these birds nest.  At 3 to 4 weeks the young jump out of the nest and then in another 1 to 2 weeks learn to fly.  The Great Grey owl doesn't build a nest, the nest is in abandoned raptor nests.  Yikes!