Great Gray Owlet from June 2012

A photo from my archives and one of many photos of various Great Gray Owls and owlets that I have never uploaded.

This youngster was one of four Great Gray Owlets, and the photo was taken on 4 June 2012, the day before three of the siblings were banded by a group of five licenced Owl Banders. They had invited a very small group of us to join them. Friends had got permission for the three of us to go on to private property to see this owl family on 4th June. Thank goodness for powerful zoom!

"Although the Great Gray Owl is the tallest American owl with the largest wingspan, it is just a ball of feathers. It preys on small mammals and has relatively small feet. Both the Great Horned and Snowy owls weigh half again as much, and have larger feet and talons. The oldest recorded Great Gray Owl was at least 18 years, 9 months old and lived in Alberta." From AllABoutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Gray_Owl/lifehistory

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Grey_Owl