Ask Us Anything: Great Gray Owl Live Cam

2022 season

Have a question about Great Gray Owls, or something you saw on the Explore.org Great Gray Owl Live Cam?

Submit your question here:

Ask Us Anything: Great Gray Owls

Once a week, we'll go through submitted questions and post answers on the cam chat board, so check back for answers! We'll also post them here so we can all learn together about these amazing birds!

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Question: If the Great Gray Owls nest somewhere else this year, is there a possibility that the camera could be moved to see the new nest?

Answer:

Unfortunately, there are very few locations where Great Gray Owls nest where we could move and set up the camera, due to accessibility of the terrain and the need for access to electricity, internet, and other considerations. Great Gray Owls usually nest in boreal forests surrounded by boggy areas, generally well away from human development or roads. If we found a different Great Gray Owl nest in a location that would work, we would certainly consider moving the camera.

Question: Will ORI be conducting surveys in the area around where the camera is located?

Answer:

The main purpose of the Great Gray Owl night surveys that ORI conducts is to detect territorial pairs by listening for hoots. Since we have already heard Great Gray Owl hooting on the camera this season (heard in early March 2022), we would not go into their territory and play the recordings, because we would be mimicking an intruder or competitor, and we don't want to cause them undue stress. The field crew may go listen to pinpoint the hooting a little better, and they will definitely be nest searching in the area if the Great Grays don't use the snag on the camera.