Bird Guide

Black-and-white Owl vs Great Grey Owl

Black-and-white Owl (Strix nigrolineata)

Black-and-white Owl

Strix nigrolineata

Large458 gForest

The black-and-white owl is a medium-sized owl with a round head and no ear tufts. It is between 35 and 40 cm in length and weigh between 400 and 535 grams. As for most owl species, females are usually bigger than males with an average weight of 487 g and 418 g respectively. It has a striped black-and-white breast, belly, and vent. With the exception of a black-and white striped collar, the upperparts from the crown to the tail are a sooty black. The facial disc is mostly sooty black, with white "eyebrows" that extend from the bill to the collar. Voice: Its call consists of a series of rapid, guttural, low calls, followed by a short pause and a low, airy call and a faint, short hoot. Occasionally, it is shortened to just the last two notes, leaving out the opening series. Moreover, the female's call usually sounds louder than the male's and individuals make fainter "hoots" near their nest.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Black-and-white Owl
Recorded by Rosa Elena Albornoz @rosaelena_naturaleza · Call · Valle Fresco (near Caracas), Sucre, Miranda, Venezuela · CC0
Photo: lwolfartist · CC BY 2.0
Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa)

Great Grey Owl

Strix nebulosa

Large1.1 kgForest

Adults have large, rounded heads with grey faces and yellow eyes with darker circles around them. The underparts are light with dark streaks; the upper parts are grey with pale bars. This owl does not have ear tufts and has the largest facial disc of any raptor. A white collar or "bow-tie" is just below the beak. The long tail tapers to a rounded end. In length, the great grey owl is believed to exceed the Eurasian eagle-owl and Blakiston's fish owl as the world's largest owl. The great grey is outweighed by those two species and several others, including most of the genus Bubo.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Great Grey Owl
Recorded by Robert Petersen · Song · Lindesberg Municipality, Örebro County, Sweden · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Loomahuviline69 · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black-and-white Owl and Great Grey Owl.