Great Grey Owl

The Great Grey Owl is large grey to greyish brown owl with dense, fluffy plumage, long wings and tail, and a large head. The size of the head, and the prominent facial disk make the yellow eyes appear small. The name "nebulosa" is derived from the Latin "Nebulosus", meaning misty or foggy. The Great Grey Owl has also been called Great Grey Ghost, Phantom of the north, Cinerous Owl, Spectral Owl, Lapland Owl, Spruce Owl, Bearded Owl and Sooty Owl. This Owl is the provincial bird emblem of Manitoba, Canada. The facial disc is circular, grey, and has many dark concentric rings. Short eyebrows and whitish lores form a white "X" in the centre of the face. Eyes are relatively small, bright yellow, and surrounded by blackish eyelids. The cere is greyish-yellow and the bill yellowish-horn. There is a blackish vertical patch below the bill that is flanked whitish, somewhat resembling a beard. Upperparts are dark grey with a brownish tint, densely vermiculated and mottled darker, with indistinct dusky streaks. Flight feathers are barred darker and paler grey to greyish-brown. The tail is relatively long, barred and mottled grey and dusky. Underparts are paler greyish with dark vermiculations, mottling and diffuse longitudinal dark streaks. The belly is barred dusky. Tarsi and toes are densely feathered grey, with dusky mottling. Claws are dark brown with blackish tips. The Great Grey Owl is most active at nights, but also at dusk and just before dawn; sometimes active during the day in breeding season. They fly with soft, slow wingbeats and generally do not often move more than short distances between perches and seldom glides. They fly close to the ground, usually less than 6 metres up, except when flying to a nest. May be very aggressive near the nest.