Great Grey Owl

Identification

The great grey owl is the world's largest owl species by length, though its apparent size is deceptive—much of its bulk comes from fluffy plumage and an enormous facial disc rather than solid body mass. Adults are unmistakable, with large rounded heads featuring distinctive grey faces, yellow eyes ringed by dark circles, and a striking white "bow-tie" or collar just below the beak. The upper parts are grey with pale bars, while the underparts are light with dark streaks. This species lacks ear tufts and possesses the longest tail of any living owl species. Length ranges from 61 to 84 centimetres, with females averaging slightly larger than males, and wingspan often exceeding 152 centimetres.

The great grey owl's deep, rhythmic territorial call—a series of very deep "who" sounds—is distinctive and helps confirm identification in the field. Young birds may chatter, shriek, or hiss, quite different from the measured calls of adults.

Range & Habitat

This species is distributed across the entire Northern Hemisphere and is the only owl in its genus found in both Eastern and Western Hemispheres. In North America, great grey owls breed from central Alaska and Quebec southward to northern California, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and northeastern Minnesota. In Eurasia, they range from Fennoscandia through Siberia to Sakhalin and Kamchatka, extending south to Mongolia, Manchuria, and northeastern China.

Great grey owls favour dense coniferous taiga forests near open areas such as meadows and bogs, though they also nest in mixed oak woodlands in Oregon and California. Once thought to require cold climates, the species is now known to survive in regions where summer temperatures exceed 38°C. While many populations are permanent residents, northerly birds may move south and southeast when food becomes scarce. In winter, they typically remain in their territories but may descend to lower elevations to escape deep snow.

Behaviour & Diet

Great grey owls are primarily nocturnal hunters that must capture their prey on the ground, making them vulnerable to deep snow cover. Like most owls, males are noticeably smaller than females. Adults are characteristically silent except during territorial disputes or interactions with offspring, when they produce their deep, rhythmic calls. The species shows impressive longevity, with wild birds recorded living between 10 and 20 years, and captive individuals reaching approximately 27 years; one individual was documented to have lived to age 40.

Best Time & Places to See It

In the Pacific states, sedentary populations exist in California, Oregon, and Washington, though birds are scattered across disjunct areas of suitable habitat. Oregon's breeding range extends from the Siskiyou Mountains in the southwest to the Blue Mountains in the northeast. Two May bird festivals—the Ladd Marsh Festival in La Grande and the Mountain Bird Festival in Ashland—feature field trips specifically targeting this species. In California, the great grey owl is listed as endangered, with fewer than 300 birds estimated statewide; key locations include the Tahoe National Forest and the Yosemite region, where the first nest south of Canada was discovered in 1914.

In the east, great grey owls are found year-round in southern Quebec and Ontario, occasionally moving further south into New York and New England during winter in pursuit of prey. They breed farther east across Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, with populations present in the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks region.

Photography Tips

The great grey owl's enormous facial disc and striking pale plumage with dark markings make it a rewarding photographic subject. The bird's preference for hunting on the ground in open meadows and bogs offers opportunities for ground-level photography. Since they must capture prey on exposed ground rather than from dense forest cover, patient photographers may have better chances of observing hunting behaviour in areas with appropriate open habitat adjacent to forest edges.

Winter offers particular opportunities in northeastern North America, when birds may move into more accessible areas. The distinctive yellow eyes and white collar markings are key features to capture, and the species' impressive wingspan—often exceeding five feet—makes wide-angle composition worthwhile when photographing perched birds.