Owl of the Year Match 13 - Great Grey Owl vs Northern Spotted Owl
WINNER: GREAT GREY OWL 38-23
The Great Grey is the largest owl in the world by overall length. It is the only Strix owls found in both halves if the Northern Hemisphere, it has the largest facial disc of any raptor, and is nicknamed The Phantom of the North. They can find and catch prey under 2 ft / 84 cm of snow, listing it with their superb hearing, and using its large size to crash through the snow.
Found from Northern California to British Columbia, the Northern Spotted Owl is famous and infamous on both sides of environmentalist campaigns for over 30 years. It has been targeted by the logging industry, and is currently threatened by the expanding territory of the more aggressive and adaptable Barred Owl. The Spotted Owl flies with an unusual rapid burst of wing flaps, followed by long glides.
Which owl will prevail today? Upvote your favorite below!
The well defined facial disc of the GG and the Barn Owls had put me off for a long time too. Once I saw the Oriental Bay Owl and had it steal my heart, I love them all now. 😍
I'm cool with the lurkers, that's certainly what I used to be until I saw a hole that needed to be filled here. I'm just curious if there's something about the GG in particular that doesn't get people excited.
I find it charming like a kind old grandpa. There's a few owls I feel get underappreciated, but this one is the most confusing to me.
End of the day, I just want to give you guys what you want, so it's mainly me trying to find what vibes with you guys.
I'd pick him too. I find him just fascinating to look at overall.
The Northern Spotted to me is kinda just a Barred Owl that got the color knob tweaked and has a more pleasant attitude toward other creatures. Still love him too, though!
Their eyes are too small for the big head. Owls gotta have the whole anime eyes thing with those giant eyes staring at you with the wisdom from the darkness.
Still a cool owl, but not the coolest. And they don't even look derpy if they weren't going to be cool.