Description
Adults have a big, rounded head with a gray face and yellow eyes with darker circles around them. The underparts are light with dark streaks; the upper parts are gray with pale bars. This owl does not have ear tufts and has the largest facial disc of any raptor.
In terms of length, the Great Gray Owl is believed to exceed the Eurasian Eagle-Owl and the Blakiston's Fish Owl as the world's largest owl. The Great Gray is outweighed by those two species as well as several others, including most of the Bubo genus. Much of its size is deceptive, since this species' fluffy feathers, large head and the longest tail of any extant owl obscure a body lighter than that of most other large owls. The length ranges from 61 to 84 cm (24 to 33 in), averaging 72 cm (27 in) for females and 67 cm (26 in) for males. The wingspan can exceed 152 cm (60 in), but averages 142 cm (56 in) for females and 140 cm (55 in) for males. The adult weight ranges from 580 to 1,900 g (1.3 to 4.2 lb), averaging 1,290 g (2.8 lb) for females and 1,000 g (2.2 lb) for males. The males are usually smaller than females, as with most owl species.
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