Great Grey Owl

A great grey owl is sitting on a tree.

Great Grey Owl

The great grey owl is believed to be the world’s largest owl, measuring up to 84cm from head to tail. This bird has a striking facial disk, with a unique white "moustache" of feathers below its beak. Its fluffy feathers and large head make it appear enormous.

The yellow eyes of a great grey owl may make you think this bird is wise. While their instinct is great, the eyes of all owls have more to do with their hunting ability. While an owl is small compared to a human, their eyes are as large as ours and packed with light-sensitive rods that help owls see the smallest movement of prey in the pitch black of night.

Like all owls, great grey owl eyes are so large they barely fit in their skull! Instead of muscles to move eyes left or right, an owl's neck allows it to turn its head 270 degrees in either direction to look around.