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.

From Science Daily

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

From Science Daily

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

From Science Daily

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.

From Scientific American

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.

From Washington Times