Here is a single frame from some video I took of a Great Gray Owl trying to melt into his background but still keeping an eye on the intruder…In this case a fly-over Common Raven. Looks very different than the “fat and fluffy” appearance of a relaxed or hunting Great Gray.
In this video I show footage from two different incidents in which a Great Gray Owl detects an “enemy”…in one case a Bald Eagle, and in the other a Common Raven. Note how the owl stretches itself vertically to become “skinny,” (concealment posture or erect alarm posture) and then backs up to be next to the trunk (presumably to blend in) and then presents its narrowest profile towards the raven or eagle.
So the question is, Why would a Great Gray not want to be detected by a raven or an eagle? The well-known Canadian Great Gray Owl researcher, Robert Nero, wrote a neat book about a captive Great Gray called Lady Grayl: Owl with a Mission. In it he says that he’s only witnessed it once in the wild and that was when an immature Bald Eagle flew a hundred meters over a perched Great Gray. He goes on to say that even though Bald Eagles rarely bother Great Grays, this bird was probably not responding to the species of raptor, but rather the raptor image…”Better to be safe than sorry!”
Filmed in the Sax-Zim Bog of northern Minnesota. Ironically, the eagle incident was filmed on March 3, 2011, exactly one year before the raven footage.
Canon 7D with Canon 400mm f5.6 lens, tripod
9 responses to “Great Gray Owl Behavior— Erect Alarm Posture”
Joan
March 7th, 2012 at 00:18
Wow! What a fascinating video, Sparky! Thanks!
Sparky Stensaas
March 7th, 2012 at 07:42
Thanks Joan…They are fascinating critters!
If anybody wants a more intimate look at the lives of Great Gray Owls, I can suggest three books: The Great Gray Owl: On Silent Wings by Robert Taylor (Windermere Books, 1997) [A year-in-the-life told from the owl’s perspective…stunning photos] , The Great Gray Owl: Phantom of the Northern Forest by Robert Nero (Smithsonian, 1980) [the pioneering text on Great Gray Owls and the research done in MN and Manitoba. Lots of fun stories and anecdotes] and Lady Grayl by Robert Nero (Natural Heritage, 1994)[stories about life with a captive Great Gray]
Garrett Conover
March 7th, 2012 at 06:51
As usual Sparky, you are the master of composition and essence. Great footage.
Sparky Stensaas
March 7th, 2012 at 07:57
At first the shot through the snow-laden branches was just to stay out of the owl’s way…but then I really liked how it looked in the viewfinder (LCD screen). Thanks Garrett.
Debbie M.
March 7th, 2012 at 07:29
Beautiful, beautiful!
Joey Halvorson
March 7th, 2012 at 10:48
I learn so much from you and my eyes and soul are enriched with each of your entries…….this owl hiding is most wonderful.
Julia
March 7th, 2012 at 14:43
I am speechless . . . . the music was perfect for this. The angle of the video footage was so cool thru the snowy branches!
Sparky Stensaas
March 8th, 2012 at 15:22
Thanks Julia! I’m glad it was a cloudy day with snow falling…Apropos to the mood of the bog in winter.
Gerry Danen
April 8th, 2012 at 21:40
What a beautiful video of the Great Grey, and an awesome blog.
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Inuit Premiere & St. Patrick’s Day March 14th, 2012 at 15:25
[…] Sparky Stensis has this great blog where he posts his adventures every week. Last week, he posted photographs and a video of a Great Gray Owl trying to melt into a the background by getting very tall and vertical to avoid detection by ravens, crows or eagles. Here’s the link to his blog where you can read about it and view the video. […]