Featured Wildlife:
Photo Credit: Kevin Lepley
Whether you know them as the Phantom of the North or the Great Gray Ghost, Great Gray Owls (Strix nebulosa) might have the coolest nicknames in all of the bird world, and for good reason! Masters of camouflage, the mottled gray of their feathers blends perfectly with conifer bark, and their willingness to remain motionless even in close proximity to people means that it takes patience and a sharp eye to see them in a forest landscape. Great Grays are one of the tallest owls in North America, measuring up to 33 inches long, with a five foot wingspan. Top that off with their striking facial disk and bright yellow eyes, it’s small wonder that adventurous photographers and birders will travel great distances to see a Great Gray Owl.
We are fortunate that the Okanogan Highlands offers the habitat and food sources that Great Grays search out – open woodland alongside forest openings or meadows, where they can find nesting platforms, leaning trees, and rodents to eat. Great Gray Owls don’t build their own nests, rather they will occupy “platforms” that they find high in the pine forests – broken tree tops, mistletoe clumps and nests built and abandoned by other forest dwellers. In the wintertime, groups of birders are frequently out and about in the Okanogan Highlands, as winter’s snow makes it a tiny bit more likely to be able to see these elusive owls.
Learn More:
Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “Great Gray Owl Overview.” All About Birds, Cornell University
Funders:
USDA Rural Business Development Grant
OHA
Private Donations
The Artist:
Andy Eccleshall of Andy Eccleshall Fine Art
Andy Eccleshall, of the Mural Works, Inc. painted the great gray owl on metal panels at Andy’s studio. The concept is based on a photo taken by Paul Bannick, wildlife photographer, author, and educator. Upon completion, the mural was transported in three pieces to Tonasket. Michael Simon Construction helped install the Great Gray Owl on the side of the Iron Grill Restaurant in March of 2022. The face of Tonasket changed in the span of one morning!
Both the great gray owl and the calliope hummingbird murals are visible to people walking, biking and driving south through Tonasket!
