The Great Gray Owl lives in Alaska, Canada, in the higher elevations of the Rocky Mountain States, northern Minnesota and northern Wisconsin.
Species Appearance
The Great Gray Owl is the tallest owl in Alaska standing at a length 24-33 inches high, with a wing span of 54-60 inches, depending on degree of maturity.
Breeding of the Species
Breeding takes place in late winter with the pair generally utilizing an abandoned hawk or crow's nest. The female lays eggs in March to June, depending on the temperature range
Risks to the Species
The US Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management considers the Great Gray Own to be a sensitive species, and it is protected in the United States on both federal and state levels. It has been the subject of extensive management studies.
The Great Gray Owl is rarely seen by people and is very vulnerable to human disturbance such as clearing of forests for timber or farming.
The main limit to its distribution is the availability of nest sites. If there are sufficient nest sites, then other factors such as food supply, determine how many owls live in the area. Chemicals used in exterminating mice and other pests have detrimentally affected the food chain of The Great Gray Owl.
In the wild the Great Gray Owl feeds primarily on small rodents such as voles and pocket gophers. Small rodents composed 80-90% percent of the diet while other mammals (mainly shrews) and birds composed the remainder.
The Great Gray Owl hunts by perching on a tree overlooking a meadow or open area. The owl's keen hearing enables it to accurately determine the location of its prey, even under two feet of snow or in tunnels.
