great gray owl

noun

1. a large, dish-faced, gray owl, Strix nebulosa, of northern North America and western Eurasia, having streaked and barred plumage.

Word History and Origins

Origin of great gray owl¹

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45

Example Sentences

The great gray owl has long been thought of as a sentinel of the Alaska wilderness, keeping watch over snow-laden forests as far north as the Brooks Range, well away from human populations.

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A similar, earlier study analyzed the distribution of the great gray owl.

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Sixteen of those species are considered species of management concern, such as the great gray owl, wolverine, Pacific marten, and northern rubber boa.

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Fish owls hoot at frequencies in the low-200-hertz range, in the same ballpark as a great gray owl and twice as low as a great horned owl.

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The avian conservation coordinator for Utah Division of Wildlife Resources says there was a reported sighting of a great gray owl in 1999, but not enough documentation to confirm it.

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