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Great Gray Owls at Jim’s Place

Mission Valley, Montana, USA

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Nest with North America's largest species of owl! This live camera in Montana's Mission Valley is mounted opposite a hollowed tree snag where a great gray owl raises her chicks. It's believed the owl mom and her mate have nested here for the past three years.

This densely forested area borders a mostly open field, ideal for Great Gray Owls to hunt their prey. The forest has small creeks running through it and is a major wildlife corridor for the Mission Mountains with deer, birds, and even Grizzly bears traveling through this area.

This snag nest, though much smaller than the Western Montana Nest Cam, is not atypical for Great Grays. She fits like a glove.

We've named this location "Jim's Place" as tribute to the live cam host who unexpectedly passed away during the camera's install.

Live Viewing Hours
All Day and All Night

Established
April 2018

Mission Valley
Montana, USA

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For more than 25 years, the Owl Research Institute (ORI) has been dedicated to scientific research of owls — their ecology, natural history, and habitat relationships.

Because owls are chronically under-researched and poorly understood, we strive to provide high-quality, long-term studies of owls, and use our findings to promote conservation.

The Owl Research Institute is a non-profit, 501(c)3, tax-exempt organization, and primarily funded by grants from foundations, corporations, and individuals.

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Where is the owl's nest?
Great Gray Owls often lay their eggs in a broken tree top called a "snag." Other common locations for egg laying include man-made structures or the abandon nests of other large birds such as ravens or raptors.

Great Grays will almost always choose their nest site in an area adjacent to a clearing in a forest or another open area, such as a meadow or field.

How many eggs do Great Grays lay?
The clutch usually consists of 2 to 5 eggs. Each egg is about 2 inches in length and will be incubated anywhere from 28 to 36 days before hatching.

When and how do Great Grays hunt?
Like most owls, Great Grays are most active between dusk to dawn. Their excellent hearing is their most resourceful tool used in hunting. Great Grays have asymmetrical ear canals which allows them to triangulate the location of their prey. The owl will silently glide above the forest floor, listening for rodents such as mice and voles below, and then swoop down and snatch the rodent with their sharp talons.

Do Great Gray Owls migrate?
Great Grays do move around to different hunting areas throughout the year; however, their movement isn't viewed as migrational, but instead is viewed as "nomadic." They change locations due to their supply of food, not due to the seasons like most other birds. If a habitat is able to sustain them with a constant food supply, then Great Grays will stay in that area. If their hunting has depleted the supply of rodents, then the owl will move on to find a new hunting area.

Are Great Gray Owls endangered?
In some areas, mainly near human populations, Great Grays are endangered. Loss of habitat due to logging is one of the greatest threats the species. When forested areas are clear cut, the availability of snags for nesting is greatly diminished.

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Great Gray Owls at Jim’s Place

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