Great Grey Owl
| Latin Name | Strix nebulosa |
|---|---|
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Strigiformes |
| Family | Strigidae |
| IUCN status | Least concern |
| Habitat | Boreal and coniferous forests |
| Distribution | Scandinavia across to Siberia, Alaska, Canada and NW America |
General Information
A large owl most active at night but during the breeding season it may be seen hunting in daylight hours.
The Great Grey Owl has a the largest facial disc of any owl and this tends to make its eyes look small. This extra large facial disc directs sound to the feather covered ear-openings giving the owl super-sensitive hearing to locate prey. Like all owls it has soft feathers on the front edge of it’s wings so allowing silent flight necessary in hunting.
Fun Fact
It’s name is derived from the Latin “nebulous” meaning foggy or misty.
Keeper Notes
We have a pair of Great Grey Owls, who joined us from the Chestnut Centre (our sister park) in 2017. They called malamute, the male, and Willow, the female, and they delight visitors as they watch over the smaller Go Wild and Education area.