The tallest and one of the largest owls in North America, the Great Gray Owl can be recognized by the large head with a prominent facial disk that lacks ear tufts. The facial disk is grayish white with distinct concentric, semicircular bars of brown. The “eyebrows,” lores, and chin can be grayish white, giving the bird a white “moustache” that is broken by a black “bowtie” in the middle. The sexes are alike with the female larger and sometimes darker. Upperparts are grayish brown, broken by grayish white flecks and bars. The tail is very long, wedge-shaped, and dusky gray with nine bands. The wings are broad and the toes are short and heavily feathered. Despite its large appearance, the Great Gray Owl is 15% smaller than the Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus), with the bulk of the Great Gray Owl made up of feathers (perhaps to survive in the cold climates it inhabits). Eyes are yellow and appear small due to the large facial disk. Flight has been described as slow and effortless, much like a moth. However, they are capable of great bursts of speed.