Great Gray Owl Beside a Moss-Streaked Trunk in Tver

A great gray owl sits on a bare branch close against a tall tree trunk, its body angled away while its round, gray face turns toward the viewer. The yellow eyes stand out against the finely barred plumage, which is streaked in soft grays, whites and faint brown. Pale concentric rings frame the face, and a small orange-tinted beak shows beneath them. The trunk is rough and patched with green moss, and a fine web of leafless twigs fills the frame against a washed-out, overcast sky. The palette is muted and cool, and the mood is quiet and watchful.

The great gray owl (Strix nebulosa) is one of the largest owls by length, though much of its bulk is feathers. It lives in northern boreal forests across Eurasia and North America and hunts mainly small rodents such as voles, locating them by sound, sometimes beneath snow. Its large facial discs help funnel sound to the ears. It is often active at dusk and dawn, but can also be seen hunting in daylight. This image was recorded near Tver', Russia, in December. Its cool tones and plenty of space around the bird suit a widescreen desktop monitor, where desktop icons will not cover the owl.

More like this: Snowy Owl Peering Over Its Shoulder on a Rooftop.