I'm nearing the end of my summer set of pictures and appropriately the weather is now starting to turn. Rain predicted tomorrow with cooler weather and showers to follow.
Apologies for lack of comments this last week, I will be catching up with you all over the weekend. Thanking everyone who has left fav's and comments for me these last few pictures - your support and continued enthusiasm is still a massive buzz!
Dudley Zoo has come on in leaps and bounds these last few years and has now become one of my favourite places to visit. It has been awarded all sorts of grants recently and is currently upgrading many of it's attractions and animal enclosures.
The ‘Great Grey Ghost’ or ‘Phantom of the North’ and is the provincial bird emblem of Manitoba, an area in Canada.. This owl does not have ear tufts and has the largest facial disc of any owl. Although they look large, inside they are no bigger than a Tawny Owl, the rest is feathers for insulation. On the top of their heads the feathers can be 100 mm thick.
These birds hunt by waiting, listening, and watching for prey, then swooping down from a perch.. They also may fly low through open areas in search of prey. Their large facial discs, also known as "ruffs", focus sound, and the asymmetrical placement of their ears assists them in locating prey, This is important as there is a lack of light during the late and early hours in which they hunt. Their excellent hearing helps them locate and capture prey moving beneath 60 cm of snow in a series of tunnels. These owls can crash through snow that could support the weight of an 82 kg person. If food is scarce, they may travel a distance to find more prey, and considerable movements by large numbers of owls takes place in some years when prey is particularly scarce.
Great Grey Owls have a distinctive primary call which is a very soft low-pitched hoot with the notes emitted slowly over a 6 to 8 second period. The call is used as a territorial declaration and can be heard up to half a mile away under good conditions. When threatened they will snap their beaks, spread their wings and growl.
Where they live: Northern Hemisphere
Habitat: Lives in the pine and spruce forests of the Taiga.
Size:Length 61-84 cm. Wingspan Up to 152 cm
Weight: 680-1,814g. The males are usually smaller than females.
Life span:Up to 13 years (wild) Up to 25 years (Zoo)
Conservation status: IUCN listed Least Concern
Threats: Include regular fluctuations in prey numbers, habitat loss and hunting
Fun Facts:
• The Great Grey Owl's specific name, “nebulosa,” is derived from a Latin word meaning misty or foggy.
• As in most owl species female great grey owls are larger than the males.
• The Great Grey Owl's ears are lopsided. One is higher than the other to make it easier to identify the source of a sound and easier to catch its prey.
• In the Harry Potter series, the Weasley family owl, Errol, is a Great Grey.
I love owls and would love to see one in the wild one day. This is a beautiful photo. Thanks for all the catch-up comments. I am on a mission to do the same :)
