Great Grey Owl - Five Sisters Zoo

One of the largest owl species by length, the Great Grey Owl is patterned in brown and white, with some mottling and some barring on the feathers. They possess a large facial disc with bright yellow eyes, though they do not have the ear tufts found in other owls. As in other owls, their eyes are immobile but the extensive rotation of their heads allows them to track prey in the forest and meadow spaces.

Facts

Diet: Carnivore; small mammals, including shrews, voles and rabbits, sometimes small birds.

Weight: 0.6-1.9kg

Wingspan: 1.5m

Length:  61-84cm

Habitat: Canada, northern United States, northern Europe, northern Asia and Russia; conifer forests, scrubland, grasslands and some wetlands.

Life Span: 10-13 years

Adapted to Survive

  • Excellent hearing allows them to hear rodents in the snow and successfully hunt them
  • Able to adjust hunting pattern to daytime as needed

Threats

  • Climate change
  • Habitat loss and fragmentation

IUCN Conservation Status

Least Concern

< Back to list

© Copyright 2024 Five sisters Zoo